The UK’s largest cities could fail to deliver on financial expectations if they are not granted greater powers, a report claims.
According to Centre for Cities, freedoms currently only available to the London mayor and the Greater London Authority should now be extended to the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and the four forthcoming ‘super councils’ in Merseyside, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and Tyne & Wear.
Local authorities can do more on transport, skills, housing and planning by working together, yet partnerships must be underpinned by an ability to take big decisions on economic growth – the think tank said.
‘Our cities will struggle to realise their economic potential, particularly in an era of reduced public spending, unless our over-centralised local government funding system changes,’ chief executive of Centre for Cities, Alexandra Jones, said.
The report – sponsored by Capita – called for councils moving towards having a directly elected mayor or a combined authority to be allowed to set levies for economic growth projects.
Jones said: ‘Government should build on City Deals and the recently announced combined authorities to create a framework for “tailored devolution”, with more powers and autonomy going to places willing to work more closely together.
‘Local areas also need to be bold and come together to transform the way they support businesses, invest in transport and provide the services people use every day.’
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