Devolution Archives - Southern Policy Centre

Blog posts relating to the Southern Policy Centre’s work on devolution

Mayors are not for everywhere

July 20, 2022

All, Blog, Devolution, Devolution: strategy for the central South, News, Publications

Mayors are not for everywhere Andy Burnham’s outrage when he appeared to learn by text that Greater Manchester wouldn’t receive the same Covid-19 support as London gave England’s directly elected mayors a new profile. Burnham is better known for being mayor of Greater Manchester than he ever was as a Labour Cabinet minister. Steve Rotherham in Liverpool, Andy Street in the West Midlands, Ben Houchen in Tees Valley, Tracey Brabin in West Yorkshire and others have carved out distinct profiles.…

Levelling Up White Paper: a response from the central South

May 9, 2022

John Denham

All, Blog, Devolution, Devolution: strategy for the central South, News, Publications

Levelling Up White Paper: a response from the central South In mid-March, the Southern Policy Centre held a webinar to discuss the Government’s Levelling Up and Devolution White Paper [1]with speakers from local councils, business and national think tanks. Here SPC Director John Denham reflects on some of the challenges facing our local authorities as they respond to the White Paper. Public debate about local devolution and levelling up has inevitably been a bit muted for the past few weeks…

Is there a strategy for the central South? September 2019 conference Briefing Note

October 15, 2021

Simon Eden

Devolution, Devolution: strategy for the central South

Is there a strategy for the central South? September 2019 conference Briefing Note Briefing Note from the Southern Policy Centre - download a copy here The challenge This project was prompted by widely shared fears that central southern England is neither gaining the resources and power of other regions, nor promoting itself effectively to private investors. Two years ago, former Norther Powerhouse Minister Lord Jim O’Neill told us[1] the central South had failed to identify clear priorities and distinctive outcomes. …

Pexels.com<\/a>","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"adult audience celebration ceremony","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="pexels-photo-260907" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/southernpolicycentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/pexels-photo-260907.jpeg?fit=300%2C169&ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/southernpolicycentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/pexels-photo-260907.jpeg?fit=640%2C360&ssl=1" data-lazy-sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" srcset="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7"/>

Levelling up and devolution: what might it mean for the central South

September 21, 2021

Simon Eden

All, Blog, Devolution, General, Local Government

Levelling up and devolution: what might it mean for the central South ‘Levelling up’ – ensuring there is equality of opportunity across all parts of the United Kingdom – is a key theme for Boris Johnson’s Government. We are promised a White Paper in the autumn which will address regional disparities and put forward proposals to give those who feel they’ve been left behind the chance to catch up. There is a perception in some quarters that we can achieve…

Levelling up: making the case for investment in the central South

July 28, 2021

Ruth Eastwood

All, Devolution, General, Publications

Levelling up: making the case for investment in the central South This new report from Southern Policy Centre asks whether the central South risks losing out to areas in the Midlands and the North in the Government’s Levelling Up agenda. There is a widely held assumption that all areas in the supposedly affluent South East experience the positive effects of prosperity but SPC research suggests that some areas of the population experience poor life chances similar to those found in…