EUKN - European Urban Knowledge Network - Evaluation of City Growth Strategies

Evaluation of City Growth Strategies

Introduction

GHK was commissioned by the Small Business Service (SBS) to undertake an evaluation of the City Growth Strategies pilot in seven places in England.

Description

This report presents results for the revised Stage Two evaluation, and draws conclusions from the full evaluation programme in light of the launch of CGS Round 2.

Stage Two (October 2003 to April 2004) sought to evaluate the impact of the CGS approach in each pilot area, reviewing progress in capacity building and the quality of the strategies developed, identifying suitable evaluation frameworks and assessing initial indications of success.

Background information

The research was commissioned to review the progress in capacity building and the quality of the strategies developed, identifying suitable evaluation frameworks and assessing initial indicators of success.

Methodology

The research undertaken involved:

Evaluation research on all 7 pilot areas (although recognising that Plymouth CGS were still undertaking strategy preparation at the time of Stage Two evaluation)
Semi-structured, ideally, face-to-face interviews with 5 key informants engaged in the CGS process within each pilot.

Interviewees contacted included:

CGS Project Manager
Business Champion
Research Manager
A ‘senior strategic thinker’ in the pilot area external to, but knowledgeable about, the CGS process
Other private sector representative.

Conclusions

Three key factors to affect the progress of the City Growth Strategies have been:

Appointment of a dedicated, high quality project manager in position throughout
Delineation, and subsequent maintenance, of commitment, roles and responsibilities of stakeholders
The role played by the relevant RDA.

Contact info

Yorkshire Futures
info@yorkshirefutures.com

Publication date

Project finished

//2004

Researcher

GHK

Links

Visit the Yorkshire Futures website

Download the 'Evaluation of City Growth Strategies' Report (PDF, Eng, 653 KB)

Document type

research

Themes

Urban Policy > Economy knowledge & employment

Keywords

Urban economy