EUKN - United Kingdom - A framework for city-regions

A framework for city-regions - UK

Introduction

The final report of a study, the aim of which was to develop the evidence base necessary to underpin a move towards a national policy framework for City-Regions.

Description

Discusses why it is necessary to consider city-regions, summarising the shaping role that city-regions play. Identifies three arguments for taking city-regional geographies more seriously within the policy process, based on arguments for:

the devolution or decentralisation of democratic decision-making to a more localised scale;
the improvement of service delivery;
and the enhancement of economic performance.
Argues that the latter is the most compelling.

Looks at three options for developing a national city-regional framework:

a developmental approach;
a more transformative approach;
and a devolved approach.

Proposes five steps in the potential development and delivery of a national framework for city-regions, based on a transformative approach:

clarifying PSA (Public Service Agreement) priorities;
selecting city-regions;
establishing central government incentives;
identifying relevant functions;
and determining governance arrangements.

Background information

The study was commissioned in December 2004 by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (now Department for Communities and Local Government) from a consortium led by the Centre for Sustainable Urban and Regional Futures (SURF) at the University of Salford and the Centre for Urban Policy Studies (CUPS) at the University of Manchester. The study’s results were intended to inform work being undertaken by the government’s Urban Policy Directorate and the Regional Economic Performance Public Service Agreement (REP PSA) through a specially set up City-Regions Working Group. The research brief given to the SURF-CUPS team was broad, with a mainly economic orientation.

Methodology

Data was gathered for the Greater Manchester and Greater Bristol areas to serve as illustrative examples of the potential geographies of city-regions and the key importance of urban centres to outlying areas.
An international convention in March 2005 examined city-regionalism in the Netherlands, France and Germany.
A literature review was carried out into the causes of recent urban economic resurgence.
A paper on the actual and potential roles of City-Regions in regional economic development policy was prepared by Professor Harvey Armstrong of the University of Sheffield.
Advice was sought from Professor Michael Storper, an international authority on spatial economics who holds positions at the Fondation Nationale des Sciences Politiques in Paris and the London School of Economics.

Conclusions

Concludes that city-regions would have greater economic and cultural resonance than current administrative areas, and that the tributary regions of big cities have considerable significance when looking at economic performance.

Contact info

Department for Communities and Local Government
Phone: +44 20 7944 4400
contactus@communities.gov.uk

Publication date

01/02/2006

Project finished

Researcher

Alan Harding of SURF, University of Salford & Simon Marvin and Brian Robson of UPS, University of Manchester

Links

For more information, please visit the Department for Communities and Local Government website

A framework for city-regions (PDF, Eng, 815 KB)

Document type

research

Themes

Urban Policy > Economy knowledge & employment

Keywords

Urban economy