News Release 2004/0302: 08 December 2004 - Harnessing our Cities to Bosst Prosperity

A major new report to help drive forward the urban renaissance and increase prosperity across the regions, was launched today by Urban Policy Minister, Keith Hill, and leaders of England's Core Cities.

'Our Cities are Back' shows how the eight regional Core Cities - Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham and Sheffield - have been transformed in recent years, with more jobs and investment breathing new life back into our city centres.

The report sets out the next steps for building on this success, through exploiting the economic strength of the Core Cities to create more prosperous regions and sustainable communities.

Its key recommendation is that neighbouring cities need to work more closely together in their 'city region', to increase their economic competitiveness and accelerate growth.

Specific action plans in the report to improve city competitiveness include work to further develop transport planning, improve local knowledge and skills, and build closer economic linkages between London and the Core Cities.

ODPM Minister Keith Hill said:
"Our core cities have undergone an urban renaissance in recent years. Alongside major investment in homes and jobs, we are seeing improvements to people’s quality of life. Our towns and cities are becoming cleaner, safer and greener.
"There's still a long way to go - comparisons with Europe tell us that. But there is a renewed sense of confidence, underpinned by an unprecedented period of economic growth and stability.

"This report shows that our city regions have enormous potential to help create more prosperous regions and sustainable communities. We want to harness the strength of our cities to accelerate economic growth in the regions. Key to making this happen is for cities to work more closely together to better exploit their links and connections.

"The Northern Way growth strategy launched in September identified the main city regions as the way forward to boosting the economic growth of the North, and similar work is underway in the Midlands and the South West.

"It is clear that successful cities make successful regions. If our Core Cities do not prosper then neither will their regions."

The report, 'Our Cities are Back'(pdf 1.2mb), is the result of nearly three years joint working between Government Departments, the English Regional Development Agencies, and the Core Cities Group of local authorities.

The joint working group has been looking at the changing role of England's major regional cities in a global knowledge-based economy.

Core City Working Group representative for Sheffield, Councillor Jan Wilson, said:
“Sheffield has been at the centre of the Core Cities Working Group initiative from the outset and has developed strong working relationships with key Government Departments, the other Core Cities and with Regional Development Agencies.

“The city’s own experiences have featured strongly in shaping the report. Our own high profile public realm project – The ‘Heart of the City’ – has informed research to quantify the economic benefits of such projects to the regions and its helpful conclusions form an element of the report.”

Core City Working Group representative for Birmingham, Councillor Mike Whitby, said:
"This is an example of what can be achieved through working together. Government Departments, the Regional Development Agencies and Core Cities have between them developed a powerful new agenda for enabling our major cities to punch their weight in the changing global economy. We are looking forward to continuing this partnership to deliver the actions and recommendations in the report.”

Core City Working Group representative for Manchester, Councillor Richard Leese, said:
“The agenda developed through the joint work is already bearing fruit in new economic growth strategies being developed by the Regional Development Agencies - The Northern Way, The Midlands Way and the South West Way. It is important that Government, the Regional Development Agencies and Core Cities continue to work together to turn policy into practical action and investment.”

Core City Working Group representative for Newcastle, Councillor Peter Arnold, added:
“We have a real opportunity, in the agenda established through our joint work, to tackle the economic imbalance that exists between the South East and the rest of the country. It will be important that the policy framework set out in the report results in investment in the infrastructure needed to increase the international competitiveness of the Core Cities and to enable them to enhance the prosperity of the regions.”

The Government is committed to continuing its collaboration with the Core Cities and other partners in the future to help create the right conditions to promote greater prosperity at regional and national level

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