A think-tank report called for local councils to tackle the decline of the traditional high street by taking over empty shops and offering them to local entrepreneurs and small businesses without premises on a free basis or by charging a low rent.
Source: James Hulme, High Noon for the High Street: Responding to the cycle of decline in Britain's town centres, New Local Government Network
Links: Report | New Start report
Date: 2009-Dec
The Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 was given Royal assent. The Act placed a duty on local councils to 'promote democracy' and monitor local economic conditions; made it a legal duty for them to respond to petitions; and provided for the setting up of a 'National Tenant Voice' to ensure that tenants' views were central to decision-making on social housing.
Source: Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009, Department for Communities and Local Government, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Text of Act | Explanatory notes | DCLG press release | Electoral Commission press release | Local Government Chronicle report
Date: 2009-Nov
A paper examined proposals by the opposition Conservative party to move towards a more devolved system for local government and economic regeneration. It said that there were still 'unanswered questions' around which spatial level the Conservatives believed was the right one for economic development delivery.
Source: Richard Muscat and Jessica Smith, Conservative Party Policy on Economic Development and Regeneration: Real change, or more of the same?, Centre for Local Economic Strategies (0131 650 9166)
Links: Paper
Date: 2009-Oct
A new book examined the future role of local economic development. It analyzed the changes that would result from further market domination under the Sub-national Review – but also the opportunities that would arise for local economic development agents, particularly those with a concern for social justice. It looked specifically at regional and sub-regional strategy-making; partnership, networking and building institutional capacity; local labour market policy; and policy towards cities.
Source: Ines Newman (ed.), The Future of Local Economic Development, Routledge (01264 343071)
Links: Summary
Date: 2009-Oct
The government responded to a report by a committee of MPs on local street markets. It said that it would establish a new body to promote the interests of local markets, bringing together key government departments, representatives from the retail markets industry, and local government representatives.
Source: Government Response to the House of Commons Communities and Local Government Committee Report 'Market Failure? Can the traditional markets survive?', Cm 7721, Department for Communities and Local Government, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Response | DCLG press release
Date: 2009-Oct
The Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill was given a third reading. The Bill was designed to place a duty on local councils to 'promote democracy' and monitor local economic conditions; make it a legal duty for them to respond to petitions; and provide for the setting-up of a 'National Tenant Voice' to ensure that tenants' views were central to decision-making on social housing.
Source: Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill [HL], Department for Communities and Local Government, TSO (0870 600 5522) | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 13 October 2009, columns 169-267, TSO
Links: Text of Bill | Explanatory notes | Hansard | HOC research brief (1) | HOC research brief (2)
Date: 2009-Oct
A study found that that around four-fifths of people travelled outside their local area in order to meet their basic everyday needs. Smaller independent retailers, such as greengrocers and butchers, were disappearing from high streets as a result, with older people and low-income families hit hardest by this trend. The report recommended greater community engagement much earlier in the planning process, to reinvigorate the high street.
Source: Places Bases and Spaces: Research into community access and influence over shops, facilities and public space, Urban Forum (020 7253 4816)
Links: Report | Urban Forum press release | New Start report
Date: 2009-Aug
A report examined the variations in the number and types of economic indicators adopted across different localities within the 2008 local area agreement process, by identifying the factors that influenced indicator selection and the extent and nature of the relationship of the adopted indicators to processes of local economic development.
Source: Stephen Syrett, David North, Rob Baldock, David Etherington and Sue Engelbert, Local Area Agreements (LAAs) and Local Economic Development, Department for Communities and Local Government (web publication only)
Links: Report | DCLG press release | New Start report
Date: 2009-Jul
A think-tank report criticized local authorities' economic development strategies, and outlined an alternative model. Most strategies were still 'fixated on growth' and made the mistake of assuming that economic development was synonymous with growth. Effective local economic development policy should also be about equality and social relations.
Source: Jessica Arnold, Sarah Longlands, Neil McInroy and Jessica Smith, Towards a New Wave of Local Economic Activism: The future for economic development strategies, Centre for Local Economic Strategies (0131 650 9166)
Links: Report | New Start report
Date: 2009-Jul
A think-tank report put forward proposals designed to accelerate sub-regional economic collaboration across England in the wake of the economic recession. It said that 'accelerated development zone' status should be made widely available to sub-regions at the earliest opportunity, in order to ensure that large infrastructure schemes did not became unviable.
Source: Nick Hope, Bordering on Prosperity: Driving forward sub-regional economic collaboration, New Local Government Network (020 7357 0051)
Links: NLGN press release | RSN Online report
Date: 2009-Jul
A think-tank report examined ways in which local government investments could be used to stimulate economic growth, improve the 'wider economy', and encourage a strong civil society.
Source: Tom Shakespeare, More for Your Money: Using local government investments to strengthen the local economy, Localis (020 7340 2650)
Links: Report | Localis press release
Date: 2009-Jul