Centre for Cities
Be bold on devolution
Rather than tinkering around the edges of devolution, the Government should use the Levelling Up White Paper to truly reform local government, says Andrew Carter.
Tourist hotspots see biggest boost from 'freedom day'
Northern towns and tourist hotspots have seen the biggest rise in footfall since ‘freedom day’, while London is lagging behind, data has revealed.
Reaching net zero will be delivered at the local level
While the Government has set a national goal, reaching net zero – and the changes that need to be made – will be delivered at the local level, says Andrew Carter.
Is Boris in a jam on devo?
Boris Johnson’s levelling up speech was designed to kick-start devolution, quash the critics and calm the blue wall. Heather Jameson asks, did it succeed?
Government must get education right to 'level up'
How the Government manages school catch-up policy is closely linked to the levelling up agenda, says Andrew Carter of Centre for Cities. And it needs to ensure it gets education right for both children and adults, he adds.
A post-election checklist for metro mayors
Chief executive of Centre for Cities Andrew Carter looks at what metro mayors should focus on after the elections - and the list of priorities includes housing delivery.
Devolution evolution must continue in Cornwall
Cornwall needs more devolution in order to progress with laying the foundations for regions to power the UK’s carbon zero economy and to stimulate renewal, says Cllr Julian German.
We need to be careful that we don't 'level down'
If we are to build back better from COVID-19 then we can’t take our more prosperous cities for granted, argues chief executive of Centre for Cities Andrew Carter.
Cities are key to building back better, think-tank says
Government will not be able to fulfil its commitment to building back better without investment in cities, a new report commissioned by Core Cities UK has claimed.
Chancellor must avoid a one-size-fits-all Treasury-led approach to recovery
The chancellor's recovery plan must give local leaders the powers and resources to rebuild their areas, says Andrew Carter.
Vibrant high streets need vibrant cities and towns
The fundamental cause of high street decline is simple: a lack of local spending power, says Andrew Carter. 'People are typically paid more in Cambridge so they have more money to spend, both online and offline, than people in Burnley do'.
EXCLUSIVE: How are districts surviving the pandemic?
A recent report has revealed the relative impact of the pandemic on districts’ economic vulnerability and their ability to recover. Dan Peters talks to councils named in the research about the findings.
Don't defund, side-line or worse still abolish metro-mayors
While it may not realise it now, the Government needs powerful and prominent metro mayors if it is to have any hope of delivering its levelling up agenda, says Andrew Carter.
Cities have 'gone backwards towards a centralising tendency'
Cities have ‘gone backwards’ towards a centralising tendency in response to COVID-19 and in relation to the proposals in the Planning White Paper, says Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham.
Where next for high streets and city centres?
The Towns Fund selection process was controversial, but high streets and city centres face a bigger existential crisis. Ann McGauran reports.
Five ways to be ahead of the curve
Ruth Morgan and Sean Anstee put forward five recommendations to consider when putting together proposals for local government reform. ‘Let’s grab the opportunity to secure lasting change for our communities’, they add.
No sign of workers returning to city centres
The latest data from Centre for Cities' High Streets Recovery Tracker shows no movement at all in workers returning to city centres since late June, and we should not assume this will increase over the autumn, says Andrew Carter.
Helping city centres thrive post-COVID
Concern for our high streets has been exacerbated by the pandemic - but this time it is big cities that are suffering more, says Andrew Carter. If we care about city centres, its down to transport authorities can help
We must provide Luton with a bright future
Luton BC has agreed a ‘drastic’ emergency budget of £22m savings, and will ‘continue to bang loudly on the Government’s door’ for the finances it needs, says leader Hazel Simmons.
Let’s not paper over the cracks
Nathan Elvery examines the impact of spending cuts on councils and communities over a decade and highlights that they are dealing with COVID-19 while balanced on a precarious cliff edge.
