Productivity

• UK cities have 'more than recovered', says latest index

  Improving skills levels and new business formation have been the key long-term drivers of city growth since the financial crisis, according to analysts.

  

• Inequality holding back growth potential of places warns report

  Inequality is holding back the full growth potential of places, according to the results of the annual Vibrant Economy Index.

  

• Tough decisions needed to protect commercial heart of cities

  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.

  

• Rural counties suffer from low broadband speeds

  A new study has revealed that over two-thirds of England’s counties have lower than average broadband speeds.

  

• Industrial strategy neglecting fortunes of ‘left-behind’ areas, think tank warns

  The Government’s decision to focus its industrial strategy on the most advanced areas of England risks neglecting the economic fortunes of the bulk of the country, think tank warns.

  

• The power of automated workflows

  Nick Parkes calls on councils to adopt automated workflow software to increase productivity.

  

• Dusting off your in-house project management framework

  Sarah Wilson explains the benefits of councils having a standard approach to project management.

  

• Report published into improving value of public spending

  A new 'public value framework' is the central recommendation of a report aiming to deliver better value for money for publicly-funded services.