Expert insight, analysis and comment on key public policy issues
By Diana Mitlin Filed Under: All posts, Urban Posted:
This month more than 25,000 delegates meet in Quito, Ecuador, for the Habitat 3 conference which sets out the United Nations’ New Urban Agenda – a guide to policies and approaches for the sustainable development and planning of cities and towns across the globe for the next 20 years. As part of The University of Manchester’s […]
By Michael Taylor Filed Under: All posts, Devo, Urban Posted:
Devo Manc and the Northern Powerhouse – are they a chance to change Greater Manchester for the better or are they just rhetoric? Michael Taylor looks at where the city is today, and says it’s time to seize the day. Overshadowing so much of what social democracy can be in the next century is Scotland. […]
By Richard Crisp Filed Under: Inclusive Growth, Urban Posted:
Will urban growth policy benefit all or will it leave some parts of the community no better off? Richard Crisp explains how a new measurement tool – the inclusive growth monitor – can shed light on this issue. Like any occasional visitor to Manchester I am always struck by the sense of a city on […]
By Joe Blakey Filed Under: All posts, Urban Posted:
Our cities are unequal – in wealth, quality of life and our carbon footprints, amongst other factors. In the race to use technology to build so-called ‘smart cities’, Joe Blakey says we run the risk of locking-in, rather than tackling, those inequalities. Definitions and data When it comes to smart cities , Manchester is setting […]
By Abigail Gilmore Filed Under: Devo, Urban Posted:
Abi Gilmore looks at why policy-making for the arts and culture is important when considering the implementation and impact of the devolution agenda in Greater Manchester. Cultural policy is often an afterthought, frequently side-lined by other policy debates on health, housing and crime reduction. When decision-making for the arts makes the news, it is usually […]
By Luke Raikes Filed Under: All posts, Devo, Urban Posted:
When the victorious Greater Manchester Mayor emerges next May, they will find themselves with significant transport powers – but strong leadership and beefed-up accountability will be needed to realise the full benefits, argues Luke Raikes. This time next year, Greater Manchester will be experiencing its first ever mayoral election campaign. This will be a significant […]
By Stephen Hincks, Iain Deas, Kevin Ward and Graham Haughton Filed Under: All posts, Devo, Urban Posted:
The emergence of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) to deliver ‘Devo Manc’ builds on a long history of effective cooperation between ten local authorities. Not all English cities and regions share such a history. Has Manchester become the template for English sub-national governance, and if so, should we be worried, ask Kevin Ward and […]
By Lord Peter Smith Filed Under: All posts, Devo, Urban Posted:
Devolved control of health, and integration with social care, creates an opportunity to improve care outcomes, improve value for money and decide local priorities for Greater Manchester, argues Lord Peter Smith. We are on the brink of a new era in Greater Manchester when we take charge of health and social care services. On […]
By Mark Robinson CEO Filed Under: All posts, Devo, Urban Posted:
George Osborne confirmed his commitment to the Northern Powerhouse by prioritising it so strongly in the recent Budget. But, says Mark Robinson, the initiative is in desperate need of a figurehead or strategic leadership to take it to the next level and stop it fizzling out. Lord Adonis and the National Infrastructure Commission have […]
By Jonathan Darling Filed Under: All posts, Urban Posted:
No-one would say it was easy to agree public policy for the thorny issue of housing asylum seekers. But, argues Jonathan Darling, a recent news story shows just how urgent it is that a change of emphasis takes place. Last week, officials from the Home Office visited Middlesbrough to inspect properties used to house asylum […]