Title

ECONOMIC GROWTH

Sector figures demand rewrite of 'failing' economic model

Senior sector figures have demanded a radical shake-up of the nation's failing economy. 

Senior sector figures have demanded a radical shake-up of the nation's failing economy. 

Speaking at the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives (SOLACE) Summit today, deputy director at the Centre for Progressive Policy think-tank, Charlotte Alldritt, claimed the 'trickle down' economic model paraded by Whitehall was 'not working'. 

She said: 'The resilience in our economy in turbulent times is the most pressing problem, and one if I was in the Treasury I would be thinking about. 

'I would tell the Treasury that its model of the economy is not delivering the outcomes we or the Office for Budget Responsibility want to see. 

'How will you shift your model, particularly the macro economic model, and rewrite that in a local way?'

Ms Alldritt, claimed those who would be left behind by the rise of automation would be the same people who had been left behind by previous recessions and deindustrialisation. 

She continued: 'We should be going to place level and asking what can we do to provide training, shared prosperity through skills and other things as part of this move towards a new model of macro economics.'

Chief executive of the Centre for Local Economic Strategies, Neil McInroy claimed the Government's Industrial Strategy was 'strong on diagnosis, weak on prognosis' as he described 'those who still believe in liberal economics' as 'luddites'.

He said with the 'economic crisis ongoing', the nation needed to build a new 'social contract' that would 'reshape the social and spatial planning of the UK landscape'. 

ECONOMIC GROWTH

LGR: putting planning back into the spotlight

By Catriona Riddell | 19 February 2026

We now have a government that puts planning at the heart of economic growth, but does reorganisation provide a golden opportunity for reform, or the perfect ...

ECONOMIC GROWTH

A close look at Far East governance

By Dan Peters | 19 February 2026

Japan’s city mayors are pushing to become independent of the main regional level of government, while financial decentralisation is being boosted through tou...

ECONOMIC GROWTH

Local government finance settlement leaves sector divided

By Martin Ford | 17 February 2026

The most controversial local government finance settlement for years has divided the sector. Martin Ford looks at the fallout.

ECONOMIC GROWTH

Why should we care about the local outcomes framework?

By Jeremy Cooper | 16 February 2026

Jeremy Cooper offers local authorities some suggested dos and don’ts on the new local outcomes framework, and asks if it is likely to drive top-down change.

Popular articles by Sam Clayden