In a new series of blogs, we will be reviewing the current and historical work of City-REDI. In the latest blog, we examine a report written by Hannes Read, Alice Pugh, Rebecca Riley, and George Bramley, which can support a civic university in maximising the impact of its operations to make a difference in places … Continue reading “Report Spotlight: Economic & Social Impacts of PhDs”
Category: Economics
Facing up to the Foundational Economy
Economic growth is the primary mission of the current UK government, with more people in good jobs, higher living standards and productivity growth. Yet traditional economic development approaches have been questioned in academic and policy debates about how inclusive and sustainable economic performance can be achieved across the UK. A recent paper in Urban Studies … Continue reading “Facing up to the Foundational Economy”
Report Spotlight: Geographically Concentrating or Spreading Public Funding
In a new series of blogs, we will be reviewing the current and historical work of City-REDI. In the latest blog, we look at Professor Anne Green’s work with Andy Pike and Shona Duncan on the advantages and disadvantages of concentrating versus spreading public funding across different geographical areas. The project brings together a highly … Continue reading “Report Spotlight: Geographically Concentrating or Spreading Public Funding”
Rebalancing the map: How Improved Public Funding Allocation in England Could Help Tackle Geographical Inequalities
England’s economic and social landscape is deeply uneven. From productivity and income to health and education, stark geographical inequalities persist – and in many cases, are worsening. Despite years of policy attention, the UK’s highly centralised governance and fragmented funding systems have failed to deliver meaningful change. But what if public funding was allocated in … Continue reading “Rebalancing the map: How Improved Public Funding Allocation in England Could Help Tackle Geographical Inequalities”
Geographic Inequalities in an Era of Unequal Devolution
The UK has historically failed to learn important lessons from European countries on spatial rebalancing. It has recently acknowledged the need for effective local institutions and a long-term national strategy, but its asymmetric approach is unlikely to reduce geographic inequality. The failure of levelling up When the previous UK government launched its levelling up agenda … Continue reading “Geographic Inequalities in an Era of Unequal Devolution”
From Challenge to Change: How Social Impact is revitalising Ladywood’s economic viability
Ladywood, one of Birmingham’s most socioeconomically challenged wards, is undergoing a quiet transformation. This blog by Michele Wilby, CEO of Colmore Business District (BID), explores the current economic state of Birmingham with a spotlight on Ladywood, highlighting how targeted social impact initiatives, especially those focused on youth, are creating new pathways to opportunity and prosperity. … Continue reading “From Challenge to Change: How Social Impact is revitalising Ladywood’s economic viability”
From Tick Box to Toolbox: Rethinking the Green Book
Professor Rebecca Riley looks at the UK Treasury’s Green Book guidance, arguing that while it’s a valuable decision-making tool, it’s often misused or misunderstood, leading to poor public investment outcomes and calling for better training and cultural change. It’s been an interesting few weeks in Green Book land following the report on the Treasury’s review. … Continue reading “From Tick Box to Toolbox: Rethinking the Green Book”
Exploring Emerging and Future Opportunities in the West Midlands Combined Authority Region
The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) has published “West Midlands Futures – Exploring Emerging and Future Opportunities in the West Midlands Combined Authority Region”, a study completed by the Economic Intelligence Unit (EIU) and City-REDI team. Making Place-based Futures in the West Midlands In August 2022, the WMCA published the West Midlands Plan for Growth. … Continue reading “Exploring Emerging and Future Opportunities in the West Midlands Combined Authority Region”
What does the 2025 Spending Review mean for Place-Based Economic Development?
One year on from winning the General Election, the Labour Government have outlined its spending review for 2025. Over the course of the Government’s first year, headlines about public finances have focused on tightening budgets. On the one hand, this Spending Review follows in a similar vein. But there are also relatively significant increases in … Continue reading “What does the 2025 Spending Review mean for Place-Based Economic Development?”
Report Spotlight: Leveraging Public Procurement to Drive Local Innovation
In a new series of blogs, we will be reviewing the current and historical work of City-REDI. In the next blog from this series, we look at Dr Chloe Billing’s Leveraging Public Procurement to Drive Local Innovation report which is part of the ongoing work with the Innovation Procurement Empowerment Centre (IPEC) In today’s evolving … Continue reading “Report Spotlight: Leveraging Public Procurement to Drive Local Innovation”