'Mark Sandford has written the first book-length study of the new governing institutions that have been quietly spreading through the English regions. Despite the defeat of the proposal for an elected North-East Assembly, these institutions will continue to grow and affect the lives of everyone who lives in the regions of England. It is time they got to know their new masters.' - Iain McLean, Professor of Politics, Oxford University, UK 'An excellent account of the dense networks which comprise England's growing system of regional governance. Mark Sandford expertly guides us through the new structures, drawing on five years' accumulated research, and makes an important contribution to the literature.' - Professor Robert Hazell, Director, The Constitution Unit, University College London, UK 'This is a thoughtful and thought-provoking book. It succeeds both in confirming the importance of the new structures of regional governance in England and in questioning the extent to which the dominant focus of political debate on the creation of elected assemblies has helped to mask the significance of the new politics that are emerging in practice.' - Allan Cochrane, Local Government Studies '...Sandford's presentation of the evidence is both fair and free from bias...This book will be of interest to academics and practitioners, at all governance levels, with an interest in territorial politics'. - Sarah Ayres, Public Administration
