2009 Japan Day Seminar

The role of local government in recession: strategies and solutions

Sarah Longlands, Director of Policy

Centre for Local Economic Strategies (CLES)

•Focus – influencing economic development and regeneration policy

•Membership – local authorities, private, social enterprise

•Publications – informing policy and effective practice

•Training and events to support the sector

•Independent research to understand challenges and influence policy and practice

•Consultancy trading arm – to fund the

activities of the CLES trust

Centre for Local Economic Strategies

•The speed of investment and disinvestment in localities

•Growing level of population and spatial developments

•Demographic change and greater movement of people

•ongoing environmental resource constraints

•Growing concern about demands of economic growth versus quality of life and social equity

The challenges for local government

•In this context it is even more important that the local economies of places are managed and stewarded effectively

Perhaps we need less focus on economic growth as end its self and greater recognition of the need not only for growth but for resilience in our economies

Resilience: change ready and adaptable, riding global economic punches, recovering quickly, working within environmental benefits and having high levels of social inclusion

But what factors contribute towards economic resilience so that the economy, the community and the environment remains strong?

The challenges for local government

Resilience

Norfolk Trust Fellowship Research project

PORTLAND

• Planning laws which restrict urban growth

• An extensive and vibrant network of civic engagement

• A “local” feel, with some antagonism towards big business?

PORTLAND

PUBLIC

COMMERCIAL

SOCIAL

BROAD ECONOMIC CONTEXT

GOVERNMENT

WORKING WITHIN ENVIRONMENTAL LIMITS

LOCAL ECONOMIC TERRITORY

LOCAL IDENTITY AND CONTEXTHISTORY AND CULTURE

YOKKAICHI

• Public sector drive behind regeneration

• A strong focus on innovation

• Little in the way of a formal social sector, but a collective culture

YOKKAICHI

PUBLIC

COMMERCIAL

SOCIAL

BROAD ECONOMIC CONTEXT

GOVERNMENT

WORKING WITHIN ENVIRONMENTAL LIMITS

LOCAL ECONOMIC TERRITORY

LOCAL IDENTITY AND CONTEXTHISTORY AND CULTURE

1. Local government taking a broad view of the ‘economy’• social, public and commercial are all important

for resilience and have a role to play• a broad palette of approaches works • each blend of components will be unique by

place• Portland and Yokkaichi stand out in this regard• Too much orthodoxy in local economic practice?

4 key lessons for local authorities

2. Local government getting to grips with ‘pulse of place’• Identity and a focus on place matters.• Too much homogeneity of practice• Too many similar strategies and approaches• Relationship to place is key• Investment needs to be attracted to place to

create some inertia so it does not relocate when factors of production change• Physical location - Gdansk• Cultural identity – Portland

key lessons for local authorities

3. Local government knowing when to intervene and when to get out of the way• Extremes of doing very little or overly intervening

are both bad policy• Getting out of the way can create growth quickly..

But this strategy may not be resilient in the long term?

• Economic growth is a means to an end NOT an end in itself

• Intervene to disperse benefits of growth - Portland

key lessons for local authorities

4. Local government as a ‘coagulant’

• Local government acting as the glue or the fixer• A coagulant isi not necessarily about acting and

intervening a lot…but perhaps more subtle• All areas had it but some more than others• Decentralisation/devolution is key• Giving away power is power

key lessons for local authorities

Taking this research forward: Economic resilience in the UK?

•Exploring the application of the resilience model in local authorities across the UK

•Rural districts, core cities, networks of settlements

•Types of strategies that local authorities are developing to engender resilience in their local communities

•Can we develop new ideas/new approaches to achieving both economic prosperity along with strong communities and social justice

For more information:

Sarahlonglands@cles.org.uk

www.cles.org.uk

0161 236 2036