Culture minister Margaret Hodge has announced plans to increase the central government's engagement in regional cultural policy.

The new strategy will see the DCMS's four key agencies in the regions - Arts Council England, Sport England, English Heritage and the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) - working together for the first time as part of efforts to jointly deliver a "core set of shared priorities across the culture and sport agenda".

The group will work together with local authority partners and the Regional Development Agencies in order to agree top priorities and plans of action for each individual region.

According to Hodge, the new arrangement will help make contributions from each regional partner "more targeted and effective".

“We have come a long way in strengthening the case for the role of culture and sport at the heart of a region, its economy and its aspirations," said Hodge. "But the regional landscape is shifting.

"With the new Local Area Agreements imminent and Integrated Regional Strategies on the horizon we need to put delivery at the heart of the debate at this critical time. We can only do that by coupling advocacy with action, speaking with a stronger more unified voice across our sectors and giving a better service to Local Government and Regional Development Agency partners.“

Paul Lander, director of MLA, welcomed the announcement. "The review is good news for frontline services and through our own restructure we are setting the pace to move this agenda forward," he said.

"We are creating a regional presence that is flexible, fast on its feet and fully committed to the concept of joint working."