EUKN - European Urban Knowledge Network - York: Prioritising Prosperity

York: Prioritising Prosperity

Introduction

The City of York wants to develop as a ‘Thriving City’, taking advantage of the policy opportunities that exist in the Sub-National Review.

Description

This report sets out policy analysis and recommendations in response to four principal questions:

How can York deliver the infrastructure needed to achieve its vision of growth?
What can York do to improve the performance of its core future economic drivers, particularly its science and technology cluster?
How can York tackle small remaining pockets of worklessness?
How can the Council ensure the wider Leeds city-region benefits the York economy?

Background information

York is a Partner City in the Centre for Cities research programme ‘Unlocking City Potential and Sustaining City Growth’. The programme works closely with a small group of cities to inform economic development strategies and improve economic performance.

Conclusions

This report has outlined the key challenges York faces to achieve its vision of sustainable economic growth. The core message is that York needs to focus its attention and prioritise its policy interventions on the two elements that will have the biggest impact on its future economic growth.

York needs to ensure that progress on the York Northwest site remains on track. This means fostering political support for managed change, prioritising staff resources and capacity in support of the development, and investigating new infrastructure funding mechanisms.
York also needs to support the growth of the city’s science and technology cluster. The expansion of the University should be used as the catalyst for attracting investment and improving the performance of the University’s knowledge transfer activities.

If York is able to implement these key recommendations the city will place itself advantageously for

recovery following the recession, and strengthen its economic standing relative to other UK cities.

Contact info

Centre for Cities
Enterprise House ; 59-65 Upper Ground
SE1 9PQ London
United Kingdom
Phone: +44 (0)20 7803 4300
Fax: +44 (0)20 7803 4301
info@centreforcities.org
www.centreforcities.org
Kieran Larkin (Research Assistant), tel. +44 (0)20 7803 4310

Publication date

10/03/2009

Researcher

Kieran Larkin

Links

Click here to download the article "York: Prioritising Prosperity"Click here to visit the Centre for Cities website

Document type

research

Themes

Urban Policy > Economy knowledge & employment

Keywords

Urban economy