About Southern Policy Centre
About Southern Policy Centre The Southern Policy Centre (SPC) was established in 2014. It is...
About Southern Policy Centre
Meet the Team
Meet the team Southern Policy Centre (SPC) was established in 2014 as the only independent...
Public participation
Public participation The SPC organises and runs events for policymakers, businesses, community groups and members...
Ambitions for the central South, conference March 28th 2023
Over 150 participants and speakers came together at the SPC’s ‘Ambitions for the central South’ conference at Southampton Solent University. Quick fire panels explored sustainable economic growth, the importance of place shaping, health inequality and inclusion, and the possibility of local devolution, with speakers including university Vice Chancellors, business representatives, local government, voluntary and environmental organisations and health leaders. Recognition of the central South, a region with flexible boundaries but a core of the three waterfront cities, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, East Dorset and West Sussex, continues to grow, with the branding used by businesses, universities and this year’s delegation to the MIPIM property investment conference.
Featured Topics
Life Sciences in the central South
Life sciences in the central South On 18th October 2022, Southern Policy Centre launched a...
Solent Freeport
Solent Freeport The Solent Freeport was one of eight approved by Government in March 2021....
Devolution in the central South
Devolution in the central South The development of a strategy for the central South, sponsored...
Guest Blogs
Guest Blogs Southern Policy Centre publishes occasional blog posts by individuals from across the central...
Latest blogs
How Cool is the South Coast’s Technology Scene?
How Cool is the South Coast’s Technology Scene? This is a guest blog by Phil Clark. Phil is the Chair...
Film Solent: growing South Hampshire’s film economy
Film Solent: growing South Hampshire’s film economy Film is an important and growing part of our region’s creative economy. A...
We Are Island! Supporting and Developing the Isle of Wight’s Cultural Offer
We Are Island! Supporting and Developing the Isle of Wight’s Cultural Offer The Isle of Wight is home to a...
Why London and the wider South East depend on each other
Why London and the wider South East depend on each other With Centre for London’s Claire Harding, SPC Director Simon...
A Smart Manifesto for the South
A Smart Manifesto for the South This is a guest post by Chris Cooper. Chris has been involved in smart...
Culture and the Creative Economy in the central South
Culture and the Creative Economy in the central South The Partnership for South Hampshire commissioned the Southern Policy Centre to...
Southern Policy Centre
The Southern Policy Centre (SPC) was established in 2014. It is the only independent think tank and policy forum for the central South. Our focus is on Hampshire, the cities of Southampton, Portsmouth, and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) and the Isle of Wight but often extends to include Dorset, West Sussex, Wiltshire, Berkshire and Oxfordshire.
The central South has distinct challenges and opportunities. Areas of genuine wealth sit close to some of the poorest communities in England. World leading industries and higher education are accompanied by areas of low skills and low productivity. Regional growth needs to respect the sensitivities of our countryside, coastal areas and marine environment which are themselves, rich regional assets. SPC offers a non-partisan and neutral space for challenging debate, driven by the belief that the central South has yet to fulfil its full potential either for the people who live here or for our contribution to England and the UK.