Research and Publications: City Region Research and Guidance 

The latest NLGN report ‘Bordering on Prosperity: Driving forward sub-regional economic collaboration’ was launched at the LGA conference on the 1 July. The report outlines proposals on accelerated sub-regional economic collaboration across England.

Committee report examining areas where best use of existing structures could result in a more autonomous local government. The report advocates a consistent structure of decentralised power along with power to enable local government to raise more of its own money. Leeds City Region is at the forefront of Local Government devolution, through the forerunner pilot programme.

Announcement of Government strategies to support the economy through the current economic downturn. Chapter 4 highlights the importance of devolution of powers to the most appropriate level to a successful economy and announces Government’s plans on devolving powers to City Regions.

 Government response to the Prosperous Places consultation, confirming planned legislation for a duty on upper tier authorities to undertake local economic assessments, further support for city region collaboration and further guidance on new regional governance arrangements.

Joint response from Local Government Yorkshire and Humber and Yorkshire to the Prosperous Places consultation, detailing proposals for new regional governance arrangements including the establishment of the Joint Regional Board and co-ownership of the forthcoming Integrated Regional Strategy (IRS). Central to the new arrangements is the agreement that the functional economic sub regions, such as the Leeds City Region, will provide the economic analysis and priorities that will underpin the IRS.

Consultation document looking asking for views on how new governance arrangements proposed by the Sub National Review of Economic Development and Regeneration (SNR).

Report exploring the economic, infrastructure and labour market links between and within cities with reference to the Leeds City Region. The study looks at the role that larger cities play in driving the economic performance of the wider region and smaller surrounding cities and makes policy recommendations around improving connectivity.

Report arguing for financial decentralisation, particularly for the bigger city regions, on the grounds that is at this spatial scale economic development, leadership and accountability can be most effective.