THE West Midlands Regional Chamber looks likely to bid for some Government cash in June, probably in the order of £1.5m.

A report prepared for the Chamber, the Blairite talking shop whose members include representatives from Worcestershire local authorities, makes a couple of interesting points.

"What does the extra money allow the chamber to do?" it asks. I think some of us would be interested in finding that out too.

"It is understood that the Government's view on the additional funding is that it should not be primarily be used to create new bureaucracies," the report continues.

Not "primarily" to create new bureaucracy, eh?

At the least the august body admits the so-called modernisation agenda will spawn some.

Anyone looking for detail about what the organisation is going to do with the money is bound to be disappointed.

But New Labour activists will doubtless savour the exciting jargon about "synergy" with the West Midlands Local Government Association and "social partner involvement" with the English Regions Network.