Local economies were expected to be among the big beneficiaries of this week's Budget announcements, with chancellor, George Osborne, promoting growth through new enterprise zones, a £3bn ‘green investment' bank, and flexible labour laws.

As The MJ went to press, Whitehall officials were putting the finishing touches to programmes designed to kick-start Britain's moribund local economies. Foremost among Mr Osborne's measures will be at least 20 new ‘enterprise zones', many of which will reflect deprived areas.