Nick Cuff: City regions - kill or cure?

Potential London mayoral hopeful, Nick Boles, joined ex-London mayoral candidate Steve Norris in calling for City Regions across the country. The event was sponsored by Policy Exchange, Centre for Cities (IPPR) and the British Property Federation.

In an engaging hour which saw a panel of property and local government policy wonks quizzed by an audience of Councillors and party members, issues were raised concerning the powers of the London mayor through to what a future framework for local government might look like.

Boles, Director of Policy Exchange, was keen to draw a distinction between the approach of a Conservative London mayor and Ken Livingstone's micro-management of many London issues. He was joined by Norris in supporting powers which enabled the Mayor to join up governance in the capital, but not at the expense of robbing local autonomy to the London Boroughs. Of particular concern were new powers which could in theory allow the Mayor to dictate what colour your front door would be.

However, it was City Regions which aroused the most debate. Many in the policy world see the model, whereby cities across England would have autonomous political centres and spending powers, as a way of bridging the north, south divide. Nick Boles said:

"Cities need to find their own destinies. Some will work and some will fail. But in a hundred years time we will have thriving and distinctive regional centres."

It was argued that City Regions have the potential to tackle a diverse mix of regional challenges from housing shortages, through to economic activity. Norris was keen to use British regional centres grow to replicate the French model whereby centres of industrial excellence are located across the country.

However, question marks remain. First of all, where would a proposed City Region begin, and a local authority boundary end, and how big would a city need to be to become a city region? Would smaller regional entities club together to form their own citadel?

Even more importantly, are new structures really going to be the answer to problems to what many would say could be solved by strong leadership. It seemed that messy details were not on the menu, but what was clear, is that there is a growing consensus that City Regions are on the agenda and cannot be avoided.

Comments

[Lerxst]

Brit-Cit here we come.....oh joy

[UKfirst]

Tories pushing the EU's agenda as usual.

[Denis Cooper]

My reaction, then I thought maybe they don't even know that they're doing it.

Well maybe next week they can chug along to this and find out:

http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/conferences/od2006/index.cfm

"European Week of Cities and Regions" Brussels 9 -12 October

[aristeides]

What an extraordinary and horrible idea. I hope I don't have to dwell as a prole in one of these "City Regions". Are they going to collectivise the countryside at the same time?