page_title: South West Regional Assembly
section_title: Organisation
hierarchical_section_title: South West Regional Assembly / Organisation
context_page_description: The South West Regional Assembly was the regional chamber for South West England, established in 1999. It was wound up in December 2008. Its functions were taken on by the Strategic Leaders' Board, the executive arm of the newly established South West Councils.
  The SWRA covered an area of 23,829 square kilometres including Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Wiltshire and the Isles of Scilly, and represented a population of almost five million people. The South West Secretariat which supported the member organisations is based in Taunton, as is its successor body.
context_section_description: SWRA was not a directly elected body, but was a partnership of councillors from all local authorities in the region and representatives of various sectors with a role in the region's economic, social and environmental well-being. It was made up of 119 members, of which:
  79 were appointed by the 51 Unitary, County and District Authorities in the South West.  Membership was reviewed by local authorities every year, and changes reflected political proportionality across the region after local elections.
  2 were appointed by the National Parks Authorities in the region.
  2 were appointed by the Association of Local Councils.
  36 were appointed by the region’s Social, Economic and Environmental Partners (SEEPs). The SEEPs were drawn from a range of sectors including businesses, the voluntary sector, education and training, environmental bodies, faith communities, trades unions, tourism, health, agriculture, Racial Equality Councils, co-operative agencies, Learning and Skills Councils, Business Links and Culture. The SEEP representatives were nominated by regional Groups and these were reviewed at least every four years, so the Membership was fairly fluid.
caption: South West region within England
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