A report said that over-centralized decision-making in the United Kingdom restricted economic growth, and that there should be a significant devolution of finance away from central government to city-regions. The report said that this was not yet possible for all cities, as some were not ready to take on the associated responsibilities and risks, but supported devolution to the 'top 15' metros. The report described devolution as a 'process', and recommended that decision-making on readiness should be overseen by an independent city-region devolution committee. The report discussed the conditions that were necessary for successful fiscal devolution and made a range of recommendations.
Source: Powers to Grow: City finance and governance, City Growth Commission
Links: Report | CGC press release | Centre for Cities press release
Date: 2014-Sep
A paper examined the comparative economic performance of the United Kingdom's main cities over thirty years, and how growth paths differed across cities.
Source: Ron Martin, Ben Gardiner, and Peter Tyler, The Evolving Economic Performance of UK Cities: City growth patterns 1981-2011, Foresight, Government Office for Science
Links: Paper
Date: 2014-Sep
A report examined economic growth at a local level on a range of measures, outlining the common characteristics of high growth areas and the implications and challenges for future growth. It said that recovery since the economic crisis had been uneven, and that the north west, south west, and west Midlands had the largest proportions of low performing areas.
Source: Where Growth Happens: The high growth index of places, Grant Thornton
Links: Report | Grant Thornton press release | Public Finance report
Date: 2014-Sep
A report said that globalization and technological change was affecting the nature of jobs available in United Kingdom cities, although there were differences between cities and those in the north were particularly at risk of the growth of low-paid jobs. It called on cities to ensure that they used an appropriate mix of supply side and demand side interventions to respond to the needs of the local labour market, called on the national government to give cities more flexibility over funding, and called for the Low Pay Commission to work with cities where they had a strong case for a city-region wide minimum wage.
Source: Naomi Clayton, Maire Williams, and Anthony Howell, Unequal Opportunity: How jobs are changing in cities, Centre for Cities
Links: Report | Centre for Cities press release | Guardian report
Date: 2014-Sep
A report examined how London's economy would be affected by four different scenarios related to the United Kingdom's relationship with Europe in 20 years' time. It said that forecasting undertaken for the report indicated that London would benefit most if the UK remained part of a reformed European Union, although the UK would see the same level of benefit if it left the EU but continued to conduct 'outward looking and positive' economic policies. The report outlined the reforms considered necessary, and discussed the conditions that would be needed in order to achieve the reforms.
Source: Gerard Lyons and Nicholas Garrott, The Europe Report: A win-win situation, Greater London Authority
Links: Report | Appendices | Summary | Mayor's speech | BBC report | Guardian report | Telegraph report
Date: 2014-Aug
A special issue of a journal examined place-based approaches to local and regional development, including 19 articles that presented empirical and conceptual work from across the world.
Source: Local Economy, Volume 29 Issue 4-5
Links: Table of contents
Notes: Articles included:
Gill Bentley and Lee Pugalis, 'Shifting paradigms: people-centred models, active regional development, space-blind policies and place-based approaches'
Paul Hildreth and David Bailey, 'Place-based economic development strategy in England: filling the missing space'
Keith Shaw, Fred Robinson, and Jonathan Blackie, 'Borderlands: rescaling economic development in northern England in the context of greater Scottish autonomy'
John Harrison, 'The rise of the non-state "place-based" economic development strategy'
Date: 2014-Aug
A report said that the seaside tourist industry in England and Wales remained in good health and that the number of jobs supported by the sector had continued to grow overall, despite the economic downturn and its impact on household incomes. However, some locations were experiencing greater success than others, with many resorts along the south coast and in south west England showing growth in tourism employment, while other places, including Blackpool in north west England, had seen a contraction in the number of jobs.
Source: Christina Beatty, Steve Fothergill, and Tony Gore, Seaside Towns in the Age of Austerity: Recent trends in employment in seaside tourism in England and Wales, Centre for Regional, Economic and Social Research (Sheffield Hallam University)
Links: Report | SHU press release
Date: 2014-Jul
A special issue of a journal examined the thinking and practice of place-based approaches to local and regional development.
Source: Local Economy, Volume 29 Number 4-5
Links: Table of contents
Notes: Articles included:
Keith Shaw, Fred Robinson, and Jonathan Blackie, 'Borderlands: rescaling economic development in Northern England in the context of greater Scottish autonomy'
John Harrison, 'The rise of the non-state "place-based" economic development strategy'
Paul Hildreth and David Bailey, 'Place-based economic development strategy in England: filling the missing space'
Date: 2014-Jul
An article examined the relationship between flexibility in spatial governance partnerships and their legitimacy, drawing on a study of the delivery of a major urban extension at the edge of the city of Cambridge, in the East of England. It argued that flexibility in resource deployment had been crucial to delivering outcomes, underpinned by a shared vision of sustainable communities, and suggested that a more refined analysis of the exercise and benefits of flexibility could benefit future research on partnerships.
Source: Mandy Lau, 'Flexibility with a purpose: constructing the legitimacy of spatial governance partnerships', Urban Studies, Volume 51 Number 9
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Jun
A report examined the importance of good governance for local growth and prosperity. Drawing on existing research and five local case study areas, it argued that good governance could add value to local development by providing clarity about the relative roles, responsibilities, and expectations of local partners.
Source: Growth Through Good Governance: How accountability, transparency and robust scrutiny should lie at the centre of the drive towards local growth and prosperity, Centre for Public Scrutiny
Links: Report | CPS press release
Date: 2014-Jun
A think-tank report examined the evidence from, and experience of, the operation of Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) and the local enterprise partnerships (LEPs), to consider policy lessons to inform the future development of LEPs. It said that RDAs had succeeded as strong economic leaders in their regions, with single pot funding, geographical scale, and independence that enabled the targeting of local priorities and provided economies of scale, but could also reduce local ownership of issues. It said that LEPs were affected by inadequate resourcing and bureaucratic hurdles, and there were wide variations in their nature, effectiveness, and geographical coverage. The report made recommendations, including: for better clarity of purpose and function for LEPs; for clear governance and accountability structures to balance the national and local interests; for a review and rationalisation of the spatial coverage of LEPs; and for a single pot of resources.
Source: John Healey and Les Newby, Making Local Economies Matter: A review of policy lessons from the Regional Development Agencies and local enterprise partnerships, Smith Institute
Links: Report
Date: 2014-May
A report said that, while the city of Manchester in the north of England had enjoyed recent economic success, the economic and social life of the city, as well as its international standing, could be enhanced through the public, social, and commercial sectors working better together to collaborate as 'one Manchester'. The report discussed the effect of long-standing inequalities in the prosperity and welfare of different communities and how this might be better addressed through the development of the 'civil economy'.
Source: A Civil Economy for Manchester: A new vision of an economic framework for the city, Centre for Local Economic Strategies/Macc
Links: Report | Summary | Public sector summary | CLES press release
Date: 2014-May
A report examined the concept of ultra-micro economics and its use in the regeneration of disadvantaged economies, drawing on national and international examples of ultra-micro approaches.
Source: David Boyle, Ultra-Micro Economics: Small plus small plus small equals big, Co-operatives UK
Links: Report | Co-operatives UK press release
Date: 2014-May
The Scottish government responded to a report by a committee of MSPs on the delivery of regeneration in Scotland.
Source: Scottish Government Response to the Local Government and Regeneration Committee Report on the Delivery of Regeneration in Scotland, Scottish Parliament
Links: Report | MSPs report
Date: 2014-May
A report by a committee of MPs said that the programme of new initiatives for promoting local economic growth (including local enterprise partnerships, the Regional Growth Fund, enterprise zones, the Growing Places Fund, and City Deals) initially lacked clarity and co-ordination between the initiatives, and that progress in creating jobs had so far fallen below initial expectations. The report said that government departments had not spent available funds as quickly as expected, and that some intermediaries had also been too slow to distribute funds to front-line projects. The committee called for improvements in monitoring systems and data, and called for departments to set out clearly how the new Local Growth fund would be monitored and evaluated.
Source: Promoting Economic Growth Locally, Sixtieth Report (Session 2013–14), HC 1110, House of Commons Public Accounts Select Committee, TSO
Links: Report | Committee press release
Date: 2014-May
A new book examined the challenges faced by cities in sustaining their economic position, and how this could be balanced with social progress and environmental improvements. Drawing on evidence from eight European cities, including Manchester in the north of England, the book examined the development of policy at European Union and city level over time, and how the cities saw the link between urban/spatial development policies and sustainable competitiveness.
Source: Leo van den Berg, Jan van der Meer, and Luis Carvalho (eds), Cities as Engines of Sustainable Competitiveness: European urban policy in practice, Ashgate Publications
Links: Summary
Date: 2014-May
A think-tank report presented a series of case studies in the United Kingdom and abroad that illustrated ways in which universities, high-growth firms, and cities collaborated. It said that effective approaches varied considerably between cities, and outlined a range of factors that local decision-makers would need to consider in order to identify the type of intervention relevant to their city.
Source: Ed Clarke and Maire Williams, Delivering Change: Supporting links between universities and high-growth firms in cities, Centre for Cities
Links: Report | Centre for Cities press release
Date: 2014-May
A paper presented the results of a survey of the attitudes and experiences of county council leaders regarding their local enterprise partnerships (LEPs). It said that there was support and optimism for the impetus and potential of LEPs to instigate growth across a number of key areas, that councils had played an important part in taking forward the local development of LEPs, and that county leaders remained both committed to developing strategic economic plans, and positive over the ability of LEPs to deliver improved outcomes through these plans. However, concerns were also voiced, including: the marked variety in the spatial and economic size of LEPs; the composition of their boards, and governance arrangements; the extent of their networks; and a lack of adequate strategic, devolved funding. The report made a range of recommendations.
Source: LEP Survey Analysis, County Councils Network
Links: Paper | Times report
Date: 2014-May
A think-tank report examined the extent to which local enterprise partnerships had been addressing and planning for the long-term economic and social challenges of their local areas. It assessed the strategies and growth plans that LEPs had drawn up when bidding for funding, and appraised them against a newly-developed 'LEP resilience framework' that assessed areas of policy such as innovation and entrepreneurship, corporate social responsibility, infrastructure investment, accountability, and environmental sustainability. The report said that there was wide variation in the strategic economic plans and growth plans and, with few exceptions, LEPs appeared not to have a systematic approach to building local economic resilience. It made a range of recommendations, including for greater focus on resilience-building, and for a LEP 'resilience network' through which to share good practice.
Source: Ed Cox, Angela Broadbridge, and Luke Raikes, Building Economic Resilience? An analysis of local enterprise partnerships' plans, Institute for Public Policy Research
Links: Report | IPPR press release
Date: 2014-May
A report considered the first year of the Public Services (Social Value) Act, which placed a duty on government, local councils, the National Health Service, and other public bodies in England and Wales to consider how they might improve the economic, social, and environmental well-being (or 'social value') of an area when they buy and commission services. It said that there had been some progress during the year, but change had been slow, awareness of and engagement with the Act was not yet high enough, and the measurement of social impact remained a challenge. The report made recommendations, including for specialist training.
Source: The Future of Social Value, Social Enterprise UK
Links: Report | SEUK press release | Landmarc press release
Date: 2014-Apr
An article examined support for enterprise in Scotland, including the small loans and grants available to people in deprived communities.
Source: Neil McHugh, Morag Gillespie, Jana Loew, and Cam Donaldson, 'First steps towards self-employment microcredit for enterprise in Scotland', Scottish Affairs, Volume 23 Issue 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Apr
A report examined potential job creation in public transport, cycling, and walking in a group of countries across Europe (with the addition of Canada and the United States of America in parts of the discussion). It said that the available evidence (based on one city in each country of the study) suggested that these modes of transport could be significant employers and contributors to the green economy, and that around 10,000 deaths could be avoided each year through the health benefits of cycling if each city reached the same levels of cycling activity as Copenhagen, Denmark.
Source: Ian Skinner, Dawei Wu, Christian Schweizer, Francesca Racioppi, and Rie Tsutsumi, Unlocking New Opportunities: Jobs in green and healthy transport, WHO Europe
Links: Report | WHO Europe press release
Date: 2014-Apr
An article examined the views of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) regarding the transition from the Regional Development Agency system to the new Local Enterprise Partnership system, drawing on research with digital media firms in the West Midlands region of England. It said that the RDA had been valued and that SMEs were both concerned about the loss of well-functioning programmes and institutional support structures, and uncertain about the role of the LEP.
Source: Laura James and David Guile, 'Evaluating the transition from Regional Development Agencies to Local Economic Partnerships: the views of SMEs in the British West Midlands', Local Economy, Volume 29 Number 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Apr
A think-tank report said that the proposed High Speed 2 rail improvements were unlikely to transform the north of England or address the north-south divide. It discussed outcomes from High Speed 1, and said that the regeneration claims for HS2 ran counter to the economic evidence, and that the benefits would be too small to overcome long-term and entrenched economic problems in northern England.
Source: Richard Wellings, Failure to Transform: High-speed rail and the regeneration myth, Institute of Economic Affairs
Links: Report | IEA press release | BBC report
Date: 2014-Apr
A report considered the roles of central government, local authorities, and Local Enterprise Partnerships in promoting local growth. It said that councils should take the lead to promote local sustainable growth, plan for the long-term, and invest in infrastructure, and that central government should give local councils greater influence over local finance.
Source: Local Roots to Growth, Policy Report 2, Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and Senior Managers
Links: Report | SOLACE press release
Date: 2014-Apr
An article examined the work of Town Teams – a bottom-up, usually community-led approach to place management in towns in England. The article outlined insights from the projects to date.
Source: Chris Hurst and Martin Blackwell, 'Town Teams, Portas Pilots and the future of the high street', Journal of Urban Regeneration and Renewal, Volume 7 Number 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Mar
An article examined the link between the creative industries and wage and employment growth in United Kingdom travel-to-work areas from 2003 to 2008. It said that the data indicated that creative industries drove both types of growth in other sectors, yet when only urban areas were considered, wages increased but not employment. It concluded that the creative industries may squeeze out declining industries from urban areas.
Source: Neil Lee, 'The creative industries and urban economic growth in the UK', Environment and Planning A, Volume 46 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Mar
A new book examined the concept of an Olympic 'legacy', focusing specifically on housing in London following the 2012 Olympic games. It argued there would be a range of both intended and unintended legacy outcomes and that there was an urgent need to revise strategies in order to achieve the originally intended impact. Taking a sociological approach, the book also examined issues relating to social class, gentrification, social polarization, and the extent to which social inclusion was reflected in housing legacies.
Source: Penny Bernstock, Olympic Housing: A critical review of London 2012's legacy, Ashgate Publications
Links: Summary
Date: 2014-Mar
An article examined the contradictions of citizen participation in regeneration, focusing on south Wales. It said the creation of the Welsh Assembly in 1999 had created a window of opportunity for a radical, bottom-up programme of 'non-prescriptive' regeneration (Communities First), but the programme had been captured by a New Labour policy agenda that shifted the priorities from citizen representation to 'community activation'.
Source: Bella Dicks, 'Participatory community regeneration: a discussion of risks, accountability and crisis in devolved Wales', Urban Studies, Volume 51 Number 5
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Mar
An article examined the implications of High Speed Two (a proposed new rail link between the north and south east regions of England) for future growth potential in the United Kingdom, including future rail capacity, national economic growth, and the geographical distribution of growth.
Source: Beth West and Laura Webster, 'What does High Speed Two mean for regeneration and economic development in the UK?', Journal of Urban Regeneration and Renewal, Volume 7 Number 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Mar
A report examined the challenges in maximizing the benefits from High Speed 2, a new rail link to connect the north with the south east of England. The report recommended that a growth strategy should be prepared for each area around the HS2 stations, with locally-led delivery bodies supported by a central delivery body, and a government minister with specific responsibility for HS2-related economic growth and regeneration. Two other, related, reports were published around the same time: the background research on benefits maximization that informed this report; and a report from the chair of HS2, outlining progress to date and future plans, including proposals to deliver some elements more quickly.
Source 1: HS2 Growth Taskforce, High Speed 2: Get ready, Department for Transport
Links: Report | DFT press release
Source 2: Maximising the Growth and Regeneration Benefits of HS2: Final report, Atkins
Links: Report | DFT press release
Source 3: David Higgins, HS2 Plus, Department for Transport
Links: Report | DFT press release | Written ministerial statement | Ministerial statement
Date: 2014-Mar
The Welsh government began consultation on the recommendations from a report that examined how the use of the Welsh language and bilingualism could support business growth and economic development and how economic development could support increased use of the Welsh language. The report made 27 recommendations for business and/or government, on which the consultation sought views. The consultation would close on 16 April 2014.
Source: Report of the Welsh Language and Economic Development Task and Finish Group to the Minister for Economy, Science and Transport, Welsh Government
Links: Report | Consultation page | Welsh Government press release | BBC report
Date: 2014-Feb
A collection of essays discussed ideas for the development of the Thames estuary to the east of London, setting out a series of recommendations that included the improvement of transport links, the creation of new Thames crossings, and the development of a new town at Ebbsfleet, as well as consideration of other new town sites.
Source: Andrew Adonis, Ben Rogers, and Sam Sims (eds.), Go East: Unlocking the potential of the Thames estuary, Centre for London
Links: Report | Inside Housing report
Date: 2014-Feb
The government published responses to the consultations on proposals to create combined authorities for the areas of: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and Sheffield (South Yorkshire); West Yorkshire; and Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, St Helens, Sefton, and Wirral (Greater Merseyside).
Source: Summary of Responses to Consultations on Proposals to Establish the Combined Authorities, Department for Communities and Local Government
Links: Consultation summary | South Yorkshire consultation | West Yorkshire consultation | Greater Merseyside consultation
Date: 2014-Feb
An audit report said that the governance of the Regional Growth Fund had improved, and the speed of the process of making final offers to bidders had been improved, but there was still a significant amount of money to be allocated. £917 million of the £2.6 billion funding allocated in the first four bidding rounds had been paid by the end of December 2013 but, of this amount, £425 million was being held by intermediaries. The report said that controls on the jobs and other benefits that bids offered, relative to their cost, needed to be tightened to improve value for money.
Source: Progress report on the Regional Growth Fund, HC 1097 (Session 2013–14), National Audit Office, TSO
Links: Report | Summary | NAO press release
Date: 2014-Feb
An article examined the impact of the recession on city regions in Britain between 2008-2013, examining the relationship of employment fluctuations to sub-regional outcomes. Examining 'full-time equivalent' jobs, it said that national employment had not recovered its pre-recession level by 2012 and that the provincial city regions as a whole showed a worse outcome from the recession than for the London city region, owing to the differing levels of reliance on various employment sectors.
Source: Alan Townsend and Tony Champion, 'The impact of recession on city regions: the British experience, 2008 2013', Local Economy, Volume 29 Number 1-2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Feb
A report examined the evidence on the connections between cities, economic growth, and poverty in the United Kingdom. It said that economic growth did not always result in a reduction in poverty levels, particularly in the short term, but poverty reduction brought a range of economic and financial benefits. The report said that the quality and quantity of new employment opportunities was critical to poverty reduction, but the impact depended on issues such as the sector in which the jobs arose, the characteristics of the population, and a range of local factors such as transport links. It noted the importance both to growth and to poverty reduction of creating jobs across a range of levels and skills, and said that cities needed to be clearer about who would benefit from local initiatives for growth.
Source: Neil Lee, Paul Sissons, Ceri Hughes, Anne Green, Gaby Atfield, Duncan Adam, and Andres Rodriguez-Pose, Cities, Growth and Poverty: A review of the evidence, Joseph Rowntree Foundation
Date: 2014-Feb
A think-tank report examined inequalities in economic performance and growth across the United Kingdom and, more particularly, in the North of England. The report made recommendations for a more spatially targeted, localised, and strategic approach to the 2015 spending review.
Source: Ed Cox, Graeme Henderson, and Luke Raikes, Rebalancing the Books: How to make the 2015 spending review work for all of Britain, Institute for Public Policy Research
Links: Report | IPPR press release
Date: 2014-Jan