‘Core Cities’ is a network of England’s major regional cities outside London. Its members are Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham and Sheffield. The document sets out the eight priorities of the Core Cities, recently agreed by their leaders, and explains why they are important. It proposes new ways of working, and how progress can be made, in each of the following priority areas: transport; supporting innovation and enterprise; skills, worklessness and social inclusion; placemaking; climate change; financial freedoms; governance; and working together with London.

It is concluded that new arrangements will need to respond to three important issues: firstly that the needs and roles of Core Cities and city-regions are properly understood and that this is better reflected in policy; secondly that there is a more integrated approach to strategic planning across the board and that Core Cities are better able to influence its outcome; and thirdly, that Core Cities – working with cityregion partnerships where appropriate – offer a unique opportunity for devolution, piloting new ways of working with government to boost the UK’s economy.

Core Cities
Chris Murray (Director), tel. +44 161 242 5909

01/10/2006

policy

Urban Policy