Alistair Darling's 2009 Budget was always going to be a headline grabbing affair given the parlous state of the economy, but with increasingly tangible signs of stabilisation in the financial and property markets the Chancellor's announcement that Greater Manchester and Leeds will be allowed to pursue pilot 'city-region' arrangements seems like a shred of good news. The proposed changes have the potential to deliver a significant boost to regional confidence and the ability of the two northern powerhouse economies to respond more flexibly to opportunities to attract inward investment as the conditions for recovery take shape.
The elected regions will gain more power over planning, housing, transport, regeneration, employment and skills programmes and will be expected to integrate work across local authority boundaries.
Over the next few months the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA) will begin the preparation of the 'Greater Manchester Strategic Plan' which will set out agreed regional priorities aimed at creating condition to accelerate growth. The pilot will be overseen by government ministers.
Birmingham, Middlesbrough, Bristol, Luton and Sheffield are understood to have just missed out on the pilot scheme after bids from around England were submitted in March. Liverpool has commenced work on its bid for City Region status and is widely anticipated as being likely to secure Government support during the next round of announcements.
Andrew Watt
Partner
MAZE Planning Solutions
Thursday, 23 April 2009
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