DON'T stifle the resourcefulness of our locality when it comes to forming partnerships, Yorkshire Forward chairman Graham Hall has warned the Government.

Local strategic partnerships should be allowed to evolve, without "over-prescriptive guidance" from Whitehall, he told a conference, titled The Power and The Influence - Regional Development and Community Strategies at the Guildhall, Hull.

In a speech to an audience of private, public and voluntary organisations and other key community stakeholders the Yorkshire Regional Development Agency's boss said: "If RDAs are to build economic prosperity, we need regional, local and community partners. Those partners are vital; they are as critical as we are. Local partnerships have been, will be and should be the epitome of that partnership in action."

Mr Hall warned against measures that prevent organisations and partnerships from developing successfully once they have put down roots and have started to make a positive impact.

He said: "Councils, communities and partnerships must be encouraged to evolve without over prescriptive guidance, if we are to see local strategic partnerships develop into the kind of partnerships we want.

"It will not be the same in North Yorkshire; it will not look the same or act the same, but it can be equally effective.

"We must allow the freedom for councils, communities and partnerships to be resourceful, innovative and creative."

Mr Hall concluded that the way forward was through shared power, local responsibility and regional strategy; that there was a demand for local flexibility, responding to local need within a regional framework, from every structure, function and agency in Yorkshire and Humber.