The Arts Council has unveiled sweeping changes to its structuring of national funding and development.

The new organisation, which has been approved by the Council, and has received the backing of the Culture Secretary, Tessa Jowell, will be an amalgamation of the Arts Council and the 10 Regional Arts Boards (RABs).

The new system will include nine regional offices, each with increased decision making powers, but overseen by a central strategic office, providing national co-ordination and organisation. The regional offices will have direct control over funding in their area.

Peter Hewitt, chief executive of the Arts Council said that the new arrangement will combine the Arts Council and the RABs in a constructive way: The creation of a single arts funding and development organisation will build on the many strengths of both the Arts Council and the RABs. It will deliver an organisation with an equilibrium between regional determination and national leadership.

Some Regional Boards, however, have lodged significant objections to the restructuring, saying that the new plans would damage their autonomy.