The leader of Birmingham City Council, Cllr Mike Whitby, has challenged incoming Prime Minister Gordon Brown to make Birmingham and the other large cities a key priority of his premiership.
In a letter to the new Prime Minister, Cllr Whitby drew attention to the opportunity he has to ensure that these issues are addressed in the Comprehensive Spending Review, due to report in the autumn. He also urged Brown to be bolder in shifting civil service departments out of London, creating more jobs in Birmingham and increasing government efficiency.
Calling for a 'great debate' about how the economic performance of our cities can be maximised, Cllr Whitby said: 'Our great cities are essential to the future prosperity of this nation. In today’s global economy it is vital that they are equipped to meet their potential. We need devolution of powers and resources from central government and regional QUANGOs. But we also need greater freedom to make better use of our own assets, through powers to borrow and invest in the local economy – the sort of powers that are taken for granted in many competitor cities in Europe and North America.'
Cllr Whitby’s challenge to the new Prime Minister is supported by the other large cities that form the 'core cities' group and also by the Centre for Cities, part of the think tank IPPR.
'As a nation we are too centralised in London. To ensure they remain globally relevant, our major Cities need extra powers and more investment, so that major schemes – such as New Street Station – can be achieved quickly and efficiently.
'The support of the business community is vital to this campaign. The message is clear: give us our freedom and we will deliver.'
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