Local economies
Instagram leads to investment in our cities
Urban leaders need to better understand their online brand, as cities with fewer mentions across social media and online news tend to attract less investment, says Cllr John Merry.
EXCLUSIVE: Districts in county deals warning
District council leaders have warned county deals will fail unless local government secretary Michael Gove gives them an equal role in devolution.
The future of Local Enterprise Partnerships
The Government’s 'collective amnesia' on past successes and failures must not harm desired economic development outcomes, says executive director of the Institute of Economic Development Nigel Wilcock.
Osborne urges ministers to 'double' devolution efforts
Former chancellor George Osborne has urged ministers to ‘double’ efforts to drive forward devolution and local taxation.
Why stewardship and regeneration go hand-in-hand
Why has Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council become one of the first local authorities to adopt the stewardship model for its own new place-making company? Cllr Philip Broadhead explains.
Time to turn down levelling up?
The Government’s decisions to scrap the Leeds leg of HS2 and amend the social care cap have both been accused of contradicting the spirit of levelling up. Michael Burton wonders whether the phrase is becoming an albatross for ministers.
CBI calls for role in levelling up
Regional strategies should be formulated with the private sector having a role to play, said director-general of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), Tony Danker.
Rising to the biodiversity challenge
James Cross explains what biodiversity net gain, now mandated in the Government’s Environment Bill, means for local planning authorities.
City leader says 'political bias in funding must end'
A city council leader has hit out at ‘political bias’ in funding and said local areas should not have to ‘pit ourselves against neighbouring authorities’ for cash, as ministers gathered to discuss levelling up.
Levelling up - slogan or strategy?
If an area is deprived and needs investment it shouldn’t have to pit itself against neighbouring authorities for funding, says Cllr George Duggins.
Chancellor’s ‘age of optimism’ doesn’t ring true for council finances
The Spending Review did not bring funding back to anything like 2010 levels and London boroughs are left facing £400m losses over the next two years, says Cllr Darren Rodwell.
Leaders lay out plans for just transition
Council and combined authority leaders have detailed plans for a ‘just transition’ to net-zero as new research revealed nine million people could be hit economically.
COP26: It's time to redesign housing from the bottom up too
If we are to prioritise tackling climate change, housing refurbishment - which eliminates the carbon-heavy phase - must be a part of the solution, says Matthew Nimmo.
'Salford is the world’s best levelling up opportunity’
Tom Stannard talks to Heather Jameson about why connecting communities and levelling up can’t be done just by the council and must involve Government investment in public services.
Birmingham’s road to a bright future
There are two pillars to Birmingham’s levelling up plans: investment in infrastructure, public transport, housing and skills, and investment in communities. Heather Jameson talks to leader Cllr Ian Ward and interim chief executive Deborah Cadman.
A rare moment for change
The Centre for Progressive Policy’s annual Inclusive Growth Conference emphasised the role of place in creating a greener, fairer economy, with localism identified as the biggest lever for system change. Thomas Hauschildt and Ross Mudie report.
It is the right time to invest in all of our futures
As we head towards COP26, Paul O’Brien says we should not settle for anything less than a key role for councils in the delivery of the plan for net-zero or the consequences could be catastrophic.
Lagging behind the retrofit challenge
We risk deepening a divide between rich and poor and different parts of the compass unless we localise national retrofitting strategies, writes Jonathan Werran.
Devolve powers to level up
The panel brought together by the Centre for Progressive Policy think-tank agreed local government needed more powers to make the agenda a success.
Counting the benefits of good partnership
The South & East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership was formally signed off this summer. It will build on South Holland DC’s own experience of partnership working, and build something even bigger, says Rob Barlow.
