In this blog, Professor John R. Bryson, City-REDI, outlines the eight key qualities a good or successful Metro Mayor for the West Midlands might need. On 4 May 2017, the people living in the geographic area defined by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) have the opportunity, for the first time, to elect a mayor. … Continue reading “What characteristics should we look for in the new Metro Mayor of the West Midlands Combined Authority?”
Category: Cities
Metro Mayors – Next Steps for Devolution in England
The Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) and the Centre for Urban and Regional Development Studies (CURDS) hosted their event ‘Metro Mayors: next steps for devolution in England’ last week in the run up to the Mayoral elections which will take place in several major city-regions next month on the 4th May. City-REDI’s Charlotte Hoole was … Continue reading “Metro Mayors – Next Steps for Devolution in England”
Data from the producer perspective: Two days with the ONS
City-REDI’s Tasos Kitsos is back from attending the International Economic Statistics Conference hosted by ONS. Here he provides a round-up of his experience. These are some of my favourite ingredients for a conference; A line-up of great speakers, An audience full of interesting people, A great balance between talking, debating, questioning and breaking up for … Continue reading “Data from the producer perspective: Two days with the ONS”
Urban living – what’s Birmingham’s offer?
Is living in Birmingham so bad? The answer is no according to a recent YouGov survey of Birmingham residents. But what makes the city so ‘liveable’? Here, Dr Rachel Mulhall provides some reflections. Green Space – Perhaps surprising to those who don’t live in the city, residents of Birmingham refer to parks and open spaces as … Continue reading “Urban living – what’s Birmingham’s offer?”
What makes Birmingham the UK’s most investable city?
Birmingham has undergone a huge transformation over the last 10 years as a result of significant growth and investment. Now a prospering and vibrant city, Birmingham is becoming an increasingly appealing place to live, work and invest – offering what is often described as ‘a cosmopolitan lifestyle without the price tag’. But what is it that makes Birmingham … Continue reading “What makes Birmingham the UK’s most investable city?”
Uniting the City – The first challenge for city leadership
The political events of 2016 exposed huge divisions within UK society. Here, City-REDI’s Rebecca Riley speaks of the need for cities to be looking for ways to bring our communities back together again. There are some important lessons to be learnt from the political turmoil of 2016 which exposed a number of major challenges for … Continue reading “Uniting the City – The first challenge for city leadership”
Research on Economic Resilience in UK Local Authority Districts
Since the 2008 downturn, ‘resilience’ as a concept has re-entered daily discussions in both policy and academia. The notion of a place which is able to grow despite what lies in its path however, though very appealing, has proven exceptionally difficult. Here, City-REDI’s Tasos Kitsos discusses the findings of his latest research paper which can be … Continue reading “Research on Economic Resilience in UK Local Authority Districts”
Post-Brexit? What defines an outstanding Modern Industrial Strategy for a Great Global Trading Nation?
Here, City-REDI’s Prof. John Bryson gives his views on what a modern industrial strategy should look like post-Brexit. “An effective industrial strategy should be a long-term strategy that works over decades rather than years. It should evolve slowly building on a strong supportive foundation and should be evaluated over decades rather than election cycles.” Last week, Theresa … Continue reading “Post-Brexit? What defines an outstanding Modern Industrial Strategy for a Great Global Trading Nation?”
The Resolution Foundation City Event – ‘A Broken Heart? The living standards challenge facing the West Midlands’
The Resolution Foundation held their event – ‘A Broken Heart? The living standards challenge facing the West Midlands’ – on the 12th December to explore the unique policy challenges facing the West Midlands and the opportunity the new Metro Mayor will face next year in responding to these and driving a new era of inclusive … Continue reading “The Resolution Foundation City Event – ‘A Broken Heart? The living standards challenge facing the West Midlands’”
Urban Living Birmingham: Challenges facing the City
The Urban Living Birmingham (ULB) Consortium brings together the expertise of four universities (University of Birmingham, Birmingham City, Aston and Warwick); working in partnership with public, private and third sector agencies. ULB is funded by RCUK via the Urban Living Partnership initiative and Innovate UK. There are over 40 project partners or stakeholders working with … Continue reading “Urban Living Birmingham: Challenges facing the City”