news and views
We provide insights based on our experience and current work and discuss what changes in policy mean for our localities, regions and cities
What have I learnt over the past 30 years? Reflections from a career in economic development
Summer is always a time of reflection for me. The day job quietens down enough for some of the learning and experience over the past year to sink in and gives me time to put it into perspective. Iโm looking forward to deploying my skills, experience and networks โ and...
Competency for local economic development: attracting investment
๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฏ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ผ ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐. ๐ง๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐ ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐ฎ ๐ด๐ฎ๐บ๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐น๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ผ๐บ๐ถ๐ฒ๐.๐ผ๐ง๐ ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช ๐๐ฃ๐ฎ ๐๐ค๐ค๐ ๐๐ฉ ๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ง๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ซ๐๐จ๐ฉ๐ข๐๐ฃ๐ฉ?In the competitive arena of inward investment, ๐ฎ purely ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ต ๐๐ผ๐ป'๐ ๐ฐ๐๐...
Applying climate actions to local economic development
๐ฟ Embracing sustainability in local economies is the way forward! ๐ From the Climate Emergency Skills Action Plan in Scotland to global projects promoting renewable energy, the shift towards a low carbon economy is gaining momentum. ๐ก Innovation, entrepreneurship, and...
What does the White Paper on English Local Devolution have to say about managing change or delivering inclusive, sustainable economic development?
๐ก๐ผ๐ ๐บ๐๐ฐ๐ต! despite the ramifications of changes to funding; fewer, large local councils and more strategic authorities such as Combined Authorities - this is all about institutions, principles, possibilities... meanwhile the economic challenges remain the same, and new...
A competency framework for local economic development: using evidence and intelligence
Do you ever feel like you're constantly playing catch-up in the fast-paced world of local and regional economic development? You're not alone. The sheer volume of information and the pressure to deliver results in a political environment can leave even the most...
๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ง๐ฟ๐๐บ๐ฝ ๐ง๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ณ๐ณ๐ ๐ฎ๐ณ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ ๐น๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ด๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ผ๐บ๐ถ๐ฐ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐น๐ผ๐ฝ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐จ๐?
The US President has imposed additional 25% tariffs on all exports from Mexico and Canada (10% on energy) and 10% on China. In the press this morning it was said that increased tariff rates on the EU were going to happen, but no clarity about the UK.Such interventions...
Falling birth rates raise prospect of sharp decline in living standards
๐ก The FT dropped a truth bomb last week: The ageing population across OECD countries is a game changer for economic and skills strategies. ๐ To keep our living standards afloat, we'll need to push labor productivity through the roof to heights never seen before.But...
We need a new funding framework for local and regional economic growth and development
A funding system to support economic growth in the nations and regions On the day before the UK Prime Minister convenes the first Council of Nations and Regions of the new UK government, this article discusses arguably the biggest factor holding back progress: the...
What have I learnt over the past 30 years? Reflections from a career in economic development
Summer is always a time of reflection for me. The day job quietens down enough for some of the learning and experience over the past year to sink in and gives me time to put it into perspective. Iโm looking forward to deploying my skills, experience and networks โ and...
What does the 2024 Kingโs Speech mean for local, regional and city economies in the UK?
The Kingโs Speech is a key part of the State Opening of Parliament ceremony. It is formally called the Speech from the Throne and is delivered by the monarch, though written by the government. The speech provides the government with an opportunity to outline its...
New UK government: actions you can take now for local growth
Get your investment-ready local growth projects ready The Labour Party is going for growth. They say they want to do this by levering in private investment. The clock is ticking Itโs time to prime your growth projects for government money. Why the urgency? Quite...
New UK Government! what next for local economic development?
After the General Election on July 04, the UK Labour Party won a significant majority and have formed the new government. What can we expect to see over the next few weeks? I've outlined the main implications of the Labour Party Manifesto for local economic...