Economic growth


Ministers urged to create a 'green bank' 03/07/2020 Ministers have been urged to create a Green Bank to fund climate change investment as part of the Government’s multi-billion pound infrastructure investment programme announced earlier this week.
Councils pledge to deliver inclusive growth post-Covid-19 24/06/2020 Councils are taking steps to ensure their communities and local economies are more inclusive post-Covid-19, a new report has revealed.
Ten ways for councils to rebuild local economies post-Covid-19 23/06/2020 Alexander Jan sets out ten ideas to help local authorities get started in rebuilding local economies post-Covid-19.
IFS exposes impact of COVID-19 on different areas 15/06/2020 The balance of protecting public health and returning to economic activity varies from one area to the next, research by the Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS) has found.
Council planning powers under threat 08/06/2020 Planning powers could be shifted from local authorities to development corporations as part of an economic stimulus package to be announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson later this month.
How local economies can recover from a global crisis 29/05/2020 Chelsea Dosad outlines what priorities local areas should focus on to help support economic recovery.
New £50m fund to help councils open high streets safely 26/05/2020 Councils will have access to a £50m fund to help prepare for the safe reopening of high streets and other retail spaces.
'Red Wall' areas most at risk of economic scarring, think tank warns 21/05/2020 Red Wall communities areas are most vulnerable to permanent economic scarring as a result of coronavirus, new research has warned today.
Jenrick launches plans to kickstart housing market 13/05/2020 Housing secretary Robert Jenrick has restarted the housing market as part of the Government’s plans to ease lockdown.
Put localism at the heart of recovery, say city leaders 11/05/2020 A centralised ‘command and control approach’ to easing lockdown will not work, city leaders have claimed.
'Too early to tell' if councils need more cash, says Jenrick 07/05/2020 It is ‘too early to tell’ if councils will need more cash to tackle coronavirus, communities secretary Robert Jenrick has said.
A tipping point for town centres? 16/04/2020 Nigel Wilcock warns that many town centre businesses are now probably terminally damaged – and genuine change will be essential.
NIC launches future of rail consultation 26/03/2020 The National Infrastructure Commission has launched a consultation on the future rail landscape of the North and the Midlands as part of the Government’s ‘levelling up’ agenda.
North of Tyne mayor announces nearly £20m funding package to ‘boost’ business 03/03/2020 The mayor of North of Tyne has announced a £19.75m funding package to support business growth and innovation.
Councils set out joint vision for £100m transport transformation 18/02/2020 Derby City Council and Nottingham City Council have submitted a bid for over £100m funding to enhance transport links between the two cities.
Freeports ‘will need to justify special status’ 10/02/2020 Government plans to open up to 10 'Freeports' in the UK have been met with scepticism, despite claims that they would ‘unlock a new era of jobs and prosperity’.
West Midlands towns set up board to unlock £3.6bn of funding 31/01/2020 Newcastle-under-Lyme and Kidsgrove are pushing ahead with ambitious plans to unlock millions of pounds of Government investment designed to give towns a boost.
Council chiefs call for devolution of skills funding 16/01/2020 Six million people in England risk being without a job or in work they are over-qualified for by 2030, council chiefs have warned.
Former SSI steelworks secures £71m funding boost 10/01/2020 The Government has confirmed an extra £71m will be spent to get the former SSI steelworks in Redcar ready for redevelopment.
Building a better healthcare cluster 09/01/2020 Outside of the Golden Triangle of Oxford, Cambridge and London, only the North West has been able to develop successful science and technology clusters. Neil Murray reports.
Pilot areas announced as part of effort to ‘rejuvenate’ high streets 02/01/2020 The Government has announced 14 new pilot areas that will receive tailored expert support to assist in rejuvenating their town centres.
Liverpool to host ‘first permanent’ city zip line 20/12/2019 Liverpool could be host to the ‘first permanent’ city zip line in the UK, the city council has announced.
Maximising the benefits of One Public Estate 18/12/2019 Donna Heath says a new approach to construction could help boost the outcomes of the Government’s One Public Estate programme.
County leaders call for an end to ‘city centric policy obsession’ 18/12/2019 Councils have urged the new Government to focus less on cities and to invest more in towns and deprived communities to help level up ‘left-behind’ areas.
Top 100: Our most popular local government stories of 2019 10/12/2019 From calls to a 10% pay rise for council staff to declaring a climate change emergency, here is our countdown of the 100 most popular stories on LocalGov during 2019.
Report highlights nine inspirational towns 29/11/2019 A collection of case studies to show how towns can prevent decline and create new opportunities for change has been published.
Regional inequality in UK is worst than comparable countries, says think tank 27/11/2019 Regional inequalities in the UK are ‘far worse than in any comparable country’, a think tank has warned today.
Viewing economic development differently 26/11/2019 Sustainability: is it time to view economic development through a different lens? Mark Lynam reports.
Landscape to deliver growth 'needs simplified' 26/11/2019 The head of the Institute of Economic Development has hit out at England’s ‘dazzling array of bodies and schemes’ to deliver growth that are ‘confusing even to seasoned commentators’.
Halving regional productivity gap would boost economy by £83bn 26/11/2019 The UK economy could be boosted by £83bn per year if regions with below average productivity could close just half of their shortfall, according to a new report.
Welsh growth deal worth £240m makes ‘progress’ 05/11/2019 The UK and Welsh governments have signed a growth deal with local representatives that could see the creation of 4,000 jobs in the North of Wales.
Whitehall announces £18m for a dozen ‘left behind' areas 04/11/2019 The education secretary Gavin Williamson has today announced that the Opportunity Area programme will receive more funding to help improve educational outcomes and careers advice.
Queen's Speech 19: Devolution White Paper to set out 'structural reform' 14/10/2019 An English devolution White Paper is planned by the Government, it has been confirmed in the Queen’s Speech.
Towns ‘starved’ of investment, think tank says 08/10/2019 A think tank has warned that towns are ‘starved of the investment they badly need’ as most foreign direct investment goes to the major cities.
Trafford Council signs £50m property deal 03/10/2019 Trafford Council and Bruntwood Works have exchanged contracts on a £50m joint venture.
HS2 proposals could bring £1.4bn of benefits, Midlands transport body says 09/09/2019 New plans submitted to the review of the controversial HS2 scheme propose directly connecting the city centres of Birmingham and Nottingham and Leicester and Leeds with high speed trains.
100 places chosen to develop new town deals 06/09/2019 Towns across England have been invited to develop proposals for new multi-million pound Town Deals.
Council leaders calls for green light on HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail 03/09/2019 Council leaders have joined a new campaign to ensure the Government goes ahead with HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR).
Tackle racial inequalities to promote growth in the North, think tanks says 16/08/2019 A new policy briefing has called for racial inequalities to be tackled as part of an inclusive economic growth agenda for the North.
Free-trade zones to ‘turbocharge’ investment, Whitehall claims 02/08/2019 The Government has invited ports and airports across the UK to bid to become one of 10 new free trade areas in a move it argues will boost post-Brexit trade.
PM announces £300m for devolved nations 29/07/2019 The prime minister has announced £300m of new funding to support the expansion of Growth Deals across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland as he reassures the UK that Brexit will not threaten the union.
How cities can use the circular economy to benefit their citizens 17/07/2019 Joke Dufourmont outlines the three key ways local authorities can attract jobs, investment and social capital in their local circular economy.
Council welcomes £65m Growth Deal 12/07/2019 Moray Council has said that its area’s economy is ‘set to be transformed’ by a £65m Growth Deal, announced yesterday by the UK and Scottish governments.
LEPs ‘lack transparency’ despite receiving £12bn of Government funding 05/07/2019 The Government has ‘no real understanding’ of the impact which the Local Growth Fund has had on local economic growth despite investing £12bn of taxpayers’ money, MPs say.
Northern Powerhouse: The first five years 01/07/2019 The Northern Powerhouse has celebrated its fifth birthday. But what is it, and what has it achieved? Mark Whitehead investigates.
Rebalancing the economy: our time is now 27/06/2019 Nigel Wilcock calls for a different approach to tackle regional imbalances in economic growth.
Post-Brexit free trade zones could ‘rebalance the economy’, think tank claims 25/06/2019 Whitehall should establish free trade zones in most deprived areas after Brexit in order to incentivise growth and rebalance the economy, think tank argues.
Innovation is the new regeneration 24/06/2019 Rachel Dickie explains how a new joint venture will help cities across the country to create new ‘innovation districts’.
Measuring success is more than just boosting GDP 20/06/2019 The past decade in local government has been dominated by pushing forward local economies, with subtle shifts in focus, but tirelessly chasing GDP, says Heather Jameson. But is there a new way?
MPs to investigate UK's regional imbalances 14/06/2019 A new inquiry into regional imbalances in the UK economy has been launched by the Treasury Committee.
Protecting town centres 10/06/2019 Debenhams CVA: Josh Myerson and Andrew Haughey explain what councils and local authorities can do to protect their town centres.
Mayor calls for creation of 'free trade zones' in city centres 05/06/2019 West Midlands Mayor Andy Street has called for a 'wholesale review' of the business rates system to save struggling high streets.
Khan launches £100m SME investment fund 31/05/2019 The mayor of London yesterday launched the largest ever fund for small and medium enterprises, which includes £14m to support the transition to a circular economy.
Devolution necessary for ‘rebalancing’ economy, report says 30/05/2019 Power must be devolved to a ‘comprehensive framework’ of mayoral and combined authorities and rural counties in order to rebalance the economy, report says.
Harnessing the power of place can lead to better pay 17/05/2019 Douglas White explains why the Living Wage Places movement is gaining traction across the country.
Think tank calls for creation of a British Investment Bank 15/05/2019 An investment bank should be set up to 'kick start a productivity revolution' after Brexit, according to a local government think tank.
Whitehall announces £105m boost for Northern Ireland 14/05/2019 The Government has announced a £105m package to help boost the ‘economic potential’ of the Derry-Londonderry region.
Council to launch UK's first city-wide digital currency 10/05/2019 Belfast City Council has announced plans to launch the UK's first incentive-based digital currency.
Whitehall ‘unwilling’ to help the high street, committee says 08/05/2019 The Government is ‘unwilling’ to give high streets a ‘fighting chance’ in the battle with online retailers, a select committee has concluded.
How digitalisation is transforming Belfast into a leading economy 17/04/2019 Martin McFadyen explores how technical innovation and improved connectivity has helped Belfast and NI transform into a leading knowledge economy with global investment appeal.
The second coming 29/03/2019 Paul Brown explains the grand compromise seeking to make Greater Manchester a top global city region.
Five areas chosen for Future Places scheme 13/03/2019 Five areas have been announced to take part in a programme to recognise and support 'high quality placemaking'.
Holyrood passes £42.5bn budget but warns of Brexit recession 22/02/2019 Holyrood has approved the 2019-20 budget which will see billions invested into public services — but warned Brexit could push Scotland into recession.
Local authority business provision ‘lacks transparency’, MSPs say 20/02/2019 Scottish MSPs have criticised a local authority provision that helps businesses grow for lacking ‘transparency, accountability and alignment’.
British cities bear the brunt of austerity, think tank reveals 28/01/2019 A think tank has called for an end to local government austerity as it reveals that Whitehall cuts have hit cities twice as hard as the rest of Britain.
Mayor Khan calls for withdrawal of Article 50 10/12/2018 Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has called on the Government to withdraw Article 50 to protect the capital’s economy from the effects of Brexit.
Brexit will not halt economic growth, says Walkley 29/11/2018 Economic growth will not grind to a halt when we leave the European Union, chief executive of Homes England Nick Walkley has predicted.
Councils could generate £320bn with new housing powers 29/10/2018 Local authorities would be able to generate £320bn for the wider economy if they had the powers to build a ‘new generation’ of high-quality council housing.
Reform Apprenticeship Levy ahead of Brexit, CBI says 09/10/2018 Business leaders have urged the Government to reform the Apprenticeship Levy in order to help solve some of the economy’s challenges ahead of Brexit.
Whitehall 'neglecting' smaller cities and towns, report warns 03/10/2018 The Government’s focus on major cities ‘neglects’ the contribution that smaller cities, towns and communities can make to economic growth, according to study.
Perfect partners for community growth 26/09/2018 Michelle Ovens explains how partnerships between local government and small businesses can dive more social impact at a low cost.
Brexit towns to be 'hardest hit' by impact, researchers warn 19/09/2018 Towns that voted in favour of Brexit will be hardest hit by its effects for the next 10 years, researchers have warned.
Ministers to 'super charge' LEP performance 24/07/2018 Ministers have published plans to ‘super charge’ the performance and accountability of Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) following a review.
Building an inclusive economy in Kirklees 12/07/2018 Neil McInroy and Cllr Shabir Pandor explain how Kirklees’ new approach to economic development in the borough is informing the council’s inclusive growth agenda.
Whitehall launches new ‘Council for the North’ 09/07/2018 The Government will launch a modern day ‘Council for the North’ in an effort to overcome the historic North-South divide.
Support cities for a £200bn boost to the economy, says Key Cities 27/06/2018 Key cities could add a further £214bn to the economy over the next decade if the Government supports them to raise productivity to the national average, the Key Cities Group has said.
Think tank warns struggling high streets are 'too reliant on retail' 26/06/2018 City centres must swap shops for offices, housing and public space if they are to prosper, according to a leading think tank.
LEPs 'failing' rural communities, says campaign group 25/06/2018 Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) have been accused of having a negative effect on the countryside.
Councils warn about ‘damaging’ economic development funding cuts 18/06/2018 One in seven local authorities have had their funding for economic development cut over the past five years, according to new research.
Cities must embrace technological change to prosper in future 18/06/2018 As we stand on the cusp of another age of automation, Andrew Carter says cities need to prepare and adapt to the coming changes to prosper in the future.
From ghost town to go-to town 21/05/2018 What can local authorities learn from Altrincham to help regenerate Britain's town centres? Conor Leyden reports.
Four East Midlands authorities explore devolution options 02/05/2018 Four county council leaders in the East Midlands have taken the first step towards a ‘future devolution deal.’
Inequality holding back growth potential of places warns report 19/04/2018 Inequality is holding back the full growth potential of places, according to the results of the annual Vibrant Economy Index.
Councils must have more say in transport planning, report says 18/04/2018 Local authorities must be involved in transport planning in the north of England to ensure increased connectivity delivers sustainable growth, planners say.
Tough decisions needed to protect commercial heart of cities 11/04/2018 As urban centres change transform, the priority should be on protecting and expanding the commercial space in city centres, rather than encouraging more residential development, argues Andrew Carter.
Belfast appoints resilience commissioner 10/04/2018 Belfast City Council has appointed a new commissioner to help the city prepare for any scenario that might prevent it from functioning properly.
Council chiefs have 'low confidence' in delivering statutory services 28/03/2018 Council bosses have warned they do not have the adequate powers and resources to deliver statutory services in a new survey.
Planning laws should be reformed to protect commercial space, think tank says 21/03/2018 Major cities in the North and Midlands are growing rapidly, but the Government needs to take action to protect the commercial space driving this growth, think tank says.
Chorley Council outlines ambitious digital hub plan 15/03/2018 A £8.4m scheme is set to put Chorley Council at the centre of the digital sector in Lancashire.
Council chiefs 'pessimistic' about Brexit 06/03/2018 More than six out of ten council chief executives and leaders believe Brexit will be damaging to their local economy, a new survey has revealed.
Edinburgh most attractive city for inward investment says report 20/02/2018 Investment potential shifts away from the South East as structural weaknesses around housing and infrastructure threaten UK’s most established centres, report says.
Can local government lead the world? 20/02/2018 Liz Zeidler explains why a new system has been launched to measure 'true' progress and prosperity.
Key factors for making local area ‘thrive’ revealed 19/02/2018 A Bristol-based charity launched a new report today into the key factors that make up a ‘thriving’ local area - and it goes beyond a narrow focus on gross domestic product.
'Rise of the robots' could put one in five jobs at risk by 2030 29/01/2018 Automation and globalisation may help boost jobs across the country but they will also compound the North/South divide, a report has warned today.
Devolution - have the wheels fallen off the wagon? 17/01/2018 With the news that no new devolution deals were agreed last year, Mark Whitehead explores why the policy seems to have come to a grinding halt.
The top 10 things local government can expect in 2018 10/01/2018 Tiffany Cloynes outlines her predictions for the top 10 issues for local government in 2018.
MSPs warn ‘significant’ issues with City Region Deals must be addressed 08/01/2018 A number of concerns about Scotland’s City Region Deals have been raised today by a Holyrood Committee.
A seaside success story 04/01/2018 Duncan Johnston explores how Bournemouth Borough Council is using a joint venture to help reinvigorate and change the perception of the town.
Think tank urges every city to set up a local Inclusive Growth Investment Commission 13/12/2017 Cities should establish new bodies to coordinate and finance attempts to extend prosperity more widely, according to a think tank report.
Councils urged to unlock £7bn of untapped assets 12/12/2017 Councils should assess the 'social value' of community businesses to help keep local areas strong and vibrant, according to a new report.

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