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I have a few pangs that I'm not in Manchester with the .

Now the man flu has subsided, I could now cope with another dose of delegates.

But my colleague Mark Denten is doing a sterling job.

And in the interests of balance, he's supplied me with the following info about his hotel:

Biscuits: "Quality" Shortbread.

TV Channels: At least 12!

Corby Trouser Press: present and available.

Sounds like Manchester has done him proud.

Anyway, he and we do appear to be getting some hints from Manchester of what a Conservative government might mean.

But there's one policy that is confusing me, and this has echoes of the Lib Dem gathering too - what are they going to do with the regional development agencies?

, and talk a lot about getting rid.

But the party's local government shadow, .

The question is, how will they determine whether the North East wants it or not?

And what about , and the - can they be saved too?

Both have their supporters as well as their detractors.

And come to that, what sort of funding would any surviving agency have under the Conservatives?

And what would people in the South or Midlands make of it if the North East has an agency, with some form of budget, shouting up for the area, while they have nothing?

It's something the will be talking about this weekend.

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