Gail Porter

Organisation
Government Office for the North West (GONW)

Job title/role
Deputy Regional Director, Communities Group

E-mail address
gail.porter@gonw.gsi.gov.uk

Website
www.gonw.gov.uk

Area covered by organisation
North West of England

Organisation's aims/vision
To improve the quality of life of people in the North West by serving ministers effectively and ensuring that government policy is developed and implemented in the best way

Organisation's key targets
- Maximise the North West's performance and productivity. This is achieved by enhancing the capacity of delivery institutions and partnership structures
-Act as the point of contact between Whitehall departments and local government in this region. GONW seeks to integrate, simplify and support government initiatives by working in partnership with councils and other key local delivery agencies
- Work alongside regional agencies to secure the alignment of regional strategies, ensuring they are consistent and complementary. These strategies must both ensure the delivery of Public Service Agreement targets and respond to the differing needs and priorities of sub-regions in the area
- Manage the changes that flow from the Government's initiatives to devolve decision making and empower both neighbourhoods and local institutions. The ambition is to transfer responsibility, authority and accountability to the most appropriate level
- Participate fully in the policy life cycle. This involves GONW providing evidence to Whitehall to ensure that new policies and programmes are designed to be both effective and joined up. After a policy announcement, GONW's role is to interpret and explain the impact of the policy by working alongside delivery institutions and partners

Additional information
Gail is a member of the Strategic Partnership's executive