New One NorthEast boss to work 'for the whole region'

A BELOVED Ford Anglia, a record player and an inflatable lilo were the sum total of Alan Clarke's possessions when he arrived in the region 27 years ago.

The Liverpudlian had been loaned a flat in Whiteleas, South Shields, for six months by his new employer, South Tyneside Council.

It was the start of a love affair with the North-East which has extended through various roles, before his appointment as chief executive of regional development agency One NorthEast.

Fate plays a part in many people's lives, and so it was with Mr Clarke.

Fresh from studying a BA (Hons) in Economics at Lancaster University, and a Master of Civic Design (Town Planning), at Liverpool University, he had plenty of options and no great desire to stay in his home town.

"I had an open mind in terms of where I was going to move to," he said. "I had two interviews within a week of each other - one in South Tyneside and the other in Yeovil, Somerset. I came to South Shields first, got the job and never made it to Somerset."

He left behind him a Merseyside childhood, where his father was a lorry driver and his mother worked in the local biscuit factory.

His wife, Deborah, soon joined him and the couple set about building a new life.

"My wife is from London, she didn't know the North-East at that point, either," he said.

"We just said we would live here for a number of years, see how we settle down and see how the jobs go."

They settled well.

Alan's career progressed with roles as chief economic development officer at Newcastle City Council, before a move to City of Sunderland Council to be assistant chief executive.

In February 2000, he took the post of chief executive of Northumberland County Council, where he was responsible for 12,000 employees and a budget of £300m. His tenure encapsulated the horror years, as the county tried to deal with the foot-and-mouth outbreak which devastated the rural economy.

But it was the newspaper advertisement for chief executive of One NorthEast that really captured his imagination. "It just jumped out of the page," said the father of three.

While he has acquitted himself well in the challenges to date, he now faces perhaps the stiffest of tests - leading an organisation that must show deprived areas there is life after traditional heavy industry. He must find new ways of bringing the best out of a proud region, and build upon the work of his predecessors.

He has started by touring the region - meeting and greeting the many people who have a vested interest in the revitalisation of the North-East.

Mr Clarke admits his depth of knowledge lies with the north of the region and emphasises that he wants to learn more about the Tees Valley.

It is a shrewd move, especially considering the historic accusations levelled at One NorthEast, that it has concentrated too much on Newcastle, to the detriment of the rest of the region.

He acknowledges there has been a perception problem in the past, and one which he plans to address, not least by creating a new director of communications role to better highlight the agency's work.

He said: "Our name is One NorthEast and I don't think we perhaps emphasise that, so it is really about unifying the region, providing leadership within the region and to create a prosperous region based on a strong economy with as many world-class businesses as we can get in this area.

"It is broader than that as well. I think it is to help improve the image of the North-East in the rest of the UK and internationally."

Another complaint levelled at the agency is that it has yet to stamp its mark on the region with successful headline projects.

In many ways, it is a harsh judgement. There are a range of redevelopment projects under way, work has been carried out behind the scenes to save and create jobs, inspire entrepreneurship and the jewel in the crown has been the establishment of the five centres of excellence.

Despite this, the new chief executive plans to focus the agency's work.

"We need to think about what are the big things, big projects, the three or four big things that need doing over the next three to five years and to free up resources to do this."

With the topsy-turvy decision to allow former chief executive Mike Collier to leavehis post ahead of chairman Dr John Bridge, Mr Clarke must await the arrival of Margaret Fay before any concrete plans can be put in place.

However, he outlines the need to properly address skills and education issues.

He also wants to maintain the momentum of the unsuccessful Capital of Culture bid, but this time adding more of a "regional approach". He believes the application could have had a greater chance of success if it had been more inclusive at an earlier date.

High expectations are heaped on the Clarke-Fay partnership as they are free from many of the financial shackles of Single Regeneration Budget projects inherited by One NorthEast at its inception.

Mr Clarke reveals he has high expectations: "In terms of the regional development agencies in England and the Scottish executive and in Wales, we are well above mid-table.

"The ambition I have for the agency is for us to be the best economic regeneration agency in the UK. That may take several years. I also want us to be recognised for that by other people.

"I won't underestimate how much effort that will take to achieve. I am not complacent."