Economic growth
A culture shock for Aylesbury Vale
As part of its transformation programme, Aylesbury Vale DC asked all its staff to reapply for newly designed job roles in the pursuit of a single vision. Andrew Grant explains why.
Who’s ready to go commercial in the ICT sector?
The IT managers’ society Socitm has been surveying local authorities looking at their approach to commercial development, and finds that ICT in particular has been a slow area to make progress. Geoff Connell discusses.
Act as a united sector on commercialisation - or face regulations
If local authorities act with individual self-interest in the pursuit of commercial ventures, they could ruin it for the whole sector, warns Abdool Kara.
Core Cities’ bold move amid a Brexit-focused tide
We are living with a one-policy government with complete inertia when it comes to anything outside Brexit, writes Heather Jameson as Core Cities are forced to bypass ministers to meet with EU negotiator Michael Barnier.
There's still room to liberate resources from existing assets
While many councils are making the case for fresh resources to meet oncoming challenges, Malcolm Morley argues there are opportunities to liberate significant resources from existing assets and activities.
Devo could boost the economy by £90bn, say Core Cities
Devolving more power to our cities could boost the country’s economy by up to £90bn a year, the Core Cities have suggested.
Why the capital needs skills devolution
Cllr Peter John makes the case for comprehensive devolution of skills policy to the capital.
Big-ticket projects shouldn’t come at expense of effective policies
Andrew Carter argues local leaders should be prioritising education, housing, skills and transport issues over headline-grabbing projects.
Council backed bank launches
The first bank part owned by a council, Redwood Bank, has opened for business.
From wasteland to playground – it’s the rebirth of Lee Valley
Fifty years since the creation of the Lee Valley Regional Park and the authority that is responsible for it, Shaun Dawson explains how partnership working with local authorities has been crucial for the park’s development.
Councils need to lead regeneration projects
When budgets are tight and markets are volatile, how can councils generate funding and mitigate risk to deliver what’s best for their districts? Teresa Lane explains.
Northern prosperity is national prosperity
Ed Cox calls on all regions and all sectors to demand fairer transport spending and help rebalance the national economy.
Thinking business
Jason Longhurst explains how Central Bedfordshire Council's commercial thinking has helped to attract businesses to the area, create jobs and allowing the council to reinvest in services.
Exploring new methods to bridge the funding gap
How can councils develop the right commercial skills across their organisation and broker successful partnerships that make financial sense, asks Paul Bradbury.
Time for the medicine
Malcolm Morley analyses the commecial strategy of a major company and draws some key lessons for local authorities looking to generate some income.
S106 is 'pricing developers out of the market'
Costly Section 106 agreements are pricing some developers out of the market, according to the peer-to-peer lending website Lendy.
Why counties can deliver the cash
Don’t overlook counties as purveyors of productivity and growth, writes Philip Atkins.
When it comes to commercialisation, we can't afford to do nothing
As councils rush to buy up commercial property, questions are being asked about the capacity and capability of the councils taking on these ventures. Hiba Mahamadi asks whether the risks are worth the financial reward.
The Industrial Strategy is cancelled out by Brexit
Michael Burton looks at the findings of a recent Centre for Cities report and calls on business ministers to speak up about the impacts of Brexit on their own Government's Industrial Strategy.
Shaping Oldham’s economic future
Oldham has a long-term masterplan which will act as a catalyst for regeneration across five town centres. The partnership between private and public sectors will be worth an additional £50m a year to the town’s economy, as Tom Stannard explains.