articles & blogs 2005
Jobs, not design, are basis of city growth
Publication: Regeneration & Renewal
Date: 09/12/2005
Author: Liz Troni and Max Nathan
The Urban Task Force has ignored the key role of economics in the revival of our cities, say Max Nathan and Liz Troni.
Time for the ODPM to back city-regions
Publication: Local Government Chronicle
Date: 01/12/2005
Author: Dermot Finch
Mr Miliband needs to give a clear signal that city regions are the way forward, says Dermot Finch
Connectivity is the way to spread the Northern Way's benefits
Publication: New Start
Date: 25/11/2005
Author: Dermot Finch
How can the Northern Way help the economies of the north of England grow and thrive? Dermot Finch offers a few pointers
Time for cities to get their act together
Publication: Regeneration & Renewal
Date: 28/10/2005
Author: Adam Marshall
Despite concern over the Lyons Inquiry delay, it will allow cities to build their case for more power, says Adam Marshall.
Urban legends: will a lack of devolution sour Labour's love affair with cities?
Publication: Building Design
Date: 30/09/2005
Author: Dermot Finch
At the Labour Party Conference in Brighton this week, it was clear that cities are back. Over the last decade, we’ve seen the revival of our urban economies: output and employment are up, and people are coming back to live and work in our city centres. British cities have a new confidence and profile. They used to be a problem for the government. Now they are part of a solution.
The price of poverty
Publication: Progress
Date: 01/09/2005
Author: Dominic Maxwell and Dermot Finch
Why is life more expensive when you're poor, ask Dermot Finch and Dominic Maxwell.
We must focus on cities over regions
Publication: Local Government Chronicle
Date: 25/08/2005
Author: Dermot Finch
ODPM officials are thinking long and hard about the urban agenda, where there are a number of unresolved issues – including the role of cities, the shape of city-regions and the scale of local government reform. The big challenge is this: how can we unleash the potential of our cities, without getting bogged down in fiscal and structural reform?
Making the ODPM better than the rest
Publication: Regeneration & Renewal
Date: 15/07/2005
Author: Dermot Finch
David Miliband is leading a review of the department's role to ensure it delivers its Five Year Plan effectively, but the 'stocktake' is really a strategic shake-up to set top policy priorities and realign its internal structure, argues Dermot Finch.
Dermot Finch - urbane thinker
Publication: Public Finance
Date: 15/07/2005
Author: Will Hatchett
The director of the Centre for Cities is using skills honed at the Treasury to focus on the economic and commercial drivers of urban development.
City centre regeneration projects: dealing with the public-private divide
Date: 28/06/2005
Author: Adam Marshall
To property developers, local authorities are often a big headache – they create barriers to major urban regeneration projects, it’s argued, because they lack the people, resources and vision to ‘make it happen’. In the eyes of public sector stakeholders, private interests are driven only by visions of profit, rather than strategic local economic development and community needs. This gap between public and private sector views has a huge impact on Britain's cities, so what needs to change?
City centre regeneration projects: dealing with the public-private divide
Date: 28/06/2005
Author: Adam Marshall
To property developers, local authorities are often a big headache – they create barriers to major urban regeneration projects, it’s argued, because they lack the people, resources and vision to ‘make it happen’. In the eyes of public sector stakeholders, private interests are driven only by visions of profit, rather than strategic local economic development and community needs. This gap between public and private sector views has a huge impact on Britain's cities, so what needs to change?
The success of cities cannot be fuelled by reform alone
Publication: The Independent
Date: 20/05/2005
Author: Bruce Katz
The UK is having a debate about how to sustain the recovery of British cities. An important part of this discussion is focused on making local government more entrepreneurial and accountable, partly through the direct election of mayors. This article sets out the lessons that can be learnt from the American experience.
Mayors need the powers to get the glory
Publication: Local Government Chronicle
Date: 05/05/2005
Author: Dermot Finch
City mayors are back in vogue. To be successful, they need substantive and unique powers. We also need to reach a new consensus on the whole sub-national framework of government in England. We can make them work, but only if we make room for them - and only if they have real power.
British Cities - Learning from International Experience
Date: 29/04/2005
Author: Adam Marshall
In recent years, central government has placed a great deal of emphasis on learning from American regeneration practices. Why has Whitehall concentrated so much attention on places like Chicago and Baltimore, while paying less attention to the European evidence base? This article argues that UK cities need to take best practice lessons from American and European experience in order to promote regeneration and economic growth.
British Cities - Learning from International Experience
Date: 29/04/2005
Author: Adam Marshall
In recent years, central government has placed a great deal of emphasis on learning from American regeneration practices. Why has Whitehall concentrated so much attention on places like Chicago and Baltimore, while paying less attention to the European evidence base? This article argues that UK cities need to take best practice lessons from American and European experience in order to promote regeneration and economic growth.
Empowering cities, boosting enterprise
Publication: Regeneration and Renewal
Date: 25/03/2005
Author: Dermot Finch
Last week’s Budget included new plans to allow local authorities in our most deprived areas to develop and fund their own enterprise strategies. The new Local Enterprise Growth Initiative (LEGI ) will target £300 million over the next 3 years at around 30 local authorities. It aims to boost enterprise in our most rundown towns and cities, with long-term funding to support local business and inward investment.
