Last month, Key Cities held its inaugural Cities Forum at the University of Staffordshire in Stoke-on-Trent, marking the beginning of a series of events aimed at fostering greater collaboration between the public and private sectors, and welcoming a new era of collaboration.
The event kicked off with several introductions from the Chief Executive at Stoke-on-Trent Council, Jon Rouse, and Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive at the University, Martin Jones.
Louise Gittins, Chair of LGA and Leader of Cheshire West and Chester, set the tone for the event, emphasising the power of storytelling in our local communities and the crucial role that councils play in driving investment and regeneration through public private partnerships.
The day concluded with a tour of Capital & Centric’s The Goods Yard development, which has created a new mixed-use neighbourhood for Stoke-on-Trent. The tour brought the core themes of the day to life: culture, sustainability and housing.
Across all the discussions, the messaging was clear: both the public and private sectors are ready to embrace the opportunities that collaboration across the sectors can provide.
The key takeaways include accelerating housing delivery by expediting projects that create effective models for partnership and replicating their success across the UK. Rethinking fiscal policy is also essential to deliver more affordable, high-quality housing at speed.
Across industries, we need to embrace building reuse as the norm and equip communities with the tools required to capitalise on Net Zero. Panellist Sophie Broadfield, Executive Director of Sustainable Communities at Bath & Northeast Somerset Council, discussed how strong partnerships have enabled communities in Bath to deliver zero-bill affordable housing.
Highlighted by the culture panel and Dr Eve Avdoulos at We Made That, culture can be a catalyst and powerful driver of investment within communities. Every £1 invested during a City of Culture designation can generate £3-4 in wider investment in the local area.
Finally, to champion skills and innovation, we need to prioritise digital literacy and adopt creative approaches to develop skillsets. By creating the environment for collaboration between academia, industry and community, we can enable innovation and opportunity.
Chair of Key Cities and Deputy Mayor of Salford, Councillor John Merry said:
“The growth opportunity posed when the public and private sectors come together is undeniable. As seen across the panel discussions at the Cities Forum, both sectors are already leveraging their expertise and ambition to generate growth through culture, sustainability, skills and housing initiatives in local communities. But together, we are stronger and can deliver the necessary solutions faster and more effectively to ensure that cities across the UK are enabled to thrive.”
