A high level working group is to be set up investigate the potential for establishing a Welsh national centre of excellence in regeneration based in the Heads of the Valleys area.

Leighton Andrews, Deputy Minister for Regeneration, made the announcement when he addressed the Institute of Welsh Affairs conference on the Heads of Valleys.

He said the Assembly Government was determined to learn from best practice across the UK and was already planning a major regeneration summit that would bring together some of the country's top practitioners and experts.

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The Minister said: "We are also going to set up a small Task and Finish group to scope the potential for a national centre for excellence in Regeneration. We will invite relevant stakeholders including Community Housing Cymru, the Regeneration Skills Collective, the WLGA and the private sector to take part.

"We would expect the centre to be located in the Heads of Valleys but it would draw on existing academic and professional expertise in Wales. It could be affiliated to one or a number of existing academic institutions in South Wales - but our minds are open on that."

He continued: "We want to work with partners from all sectors to deliver real outcomes for the people of the Heads of the Valleys and we are open to ideas which work, wherever they are from."

The study will be co-ordinated by the Assembly government’s £140m, 15-year Heads of the Valley's programme.

(JM)