Brown: Talking up the Treasury

Gordon Brown has insisted the Treasury has a wide role to play in the development of public policy and the renewal of urban areas.

In an address to the sustainable communities conference in Manchester, the chancellor said the power and role of the Treasury had grown rapidly over the last two decades.

Brown, whose relationship with the prime minister is often viewed as one of chief executive and chairman, talked up the role of his department.

"Finance ministries must do more to sponsor and support policies to regenerate local environments," he said.

"In pursuit of indigenous economic strength - the route to sustainable communities in every city, town and rural area of our country - finance ministries should do more to back local enterprising people and local enterprising firms."

The conference is being attended by councillors, senior staff from regional development agencies, town planners
and academics.

But Brown added that the Treasury and central government will continue to "devolve power away from the centre".

"Working together - central and local government, business, voluntary organisations and local communities - we can, and will, deliver our aim that prosperity should be not for some but for all in every city, every town, every community in our country," he said.