Key Cities Innovation Network launched

The network responds to a growing trend by Government and funding agencies to focus on investing in place-based innovation to address disparities and deliver on the Government’s levelling up agenda. The universities – Bath, Bradford, Coventry, East Anglia, Gloucestershire, Lancaster, Salford, South Wales, Sunderland and Wrexham Glyndwr – are all located within the Key Cities […]

Warm, yes, but not hot: the Skills White Paper

A renewed focus on skills training – a topic of crucial importance to inclusive growth in Key Cities, and to the Government’s levelling up agenda – was promised in the Skills for Jobs White Paper which was published last week and discussed yesterday at a meeting of the APPG for Skills and Employment, organised by […]

APPG discusses Culture Policy

Following the retirement of Julie Elliott and Tracy Brabin, Rebecca Long-Bailey MP was elected Co-Chair and Baroness Wilcox of Newport Vice Chair.  The Annual Report, Minutes and Financial Statement are available here. The cultural policy discussion was introduced by Key Cities Deputy Chair and Culture Lead Cllr. Alan Waters, the Leader of Norwich City Council. […]

Cllr Mark Pritchard

Cllr Gerald Vernon-Jackson CBE

Mayor Ros Jones

Cllr George Duggins

Councillor Duggins was first elected to represent the Longford Ward in Coventry in May 1993 and has served on the City Council for 29 years.  He is the current Leader of Coventry City Council and was previously the Deputy Leader (2003-2004 and 2010-2013) and has held a variety of Cabinet positions.  He also held a […]

Cllr John Mallinson

John was first elected on to Carlisle City Council in May 2000 for the St Aidan’s ward and since 2007 has represented Longtown & Rockcliffe. At the 2019 elections, he was elected as one of three councillors for Longtown & Borders. He was appointed Leader of Carlisle City Council in May 2019, after serving as […]

Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe

Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe was elected Leader of Bradford Council in May 2016. She was also Chair of West Yorkshire Combined Authority from 2017 until 2021 and was instrumental in securing the West Yorkshire Mayoral Devolution Deal, which resulted in West Yorkshire electing its first Metro Mayor in May 2021. She is now Chair of West […]

Cllr Drew Mellor

Councillor Drew Mellor is Leader of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council and strives to improve places and services for people and businesses based in England’s tenth largest unitary authority serving around 400,000 residents. He is a fervent community champion, having served on several governing bodies and co-founded a charity supporting mental health and movement for […]