Freeports: a huge opportunity for Key Cities
This article was originally published in Property Week. With trade set to be more important than ever to the UK economy in a post-Brexit world, mid-sized cities across the land can play a vital part in the country’s wider commercial future. To this end, freeports rocketed up the national agenda in the Spring when the […]
Key Cities: Culture, with benefits
Majestic Imp: Number 16 on the Lincoln Imp Trail (Photo © 2021 John Aron / The Lincolnite used with kind permission) Sixteen member cities of our network gathered last week for an engaging workshop discussing cultural policy, led by our culture portfolio lead and Deputy Chair of Key Cities, Cllr. Alan Waters, the Leader of Norwich City […]
Urban devolution: a path to local autonomy?
Throughout the pandemic, the UK’s cities have proven their capacity to solve national scale challenges competently and quickly. Yet, urban devolution does not have the support it needs from Central Government to illustrate its competency in solving other chronic challenges, like productivity and housing. On 22 April 2021, 20 Key Cities members from across the […]
Levelling up: APPG calls for longer-term approach
Following the Government’s recent announcement that Neil O’Brien MP has been appointed as chief adviser on levelling up to add clarity and substance to the policy, the Key Cities All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) report is calling for the Government to introduce a number of practical measures that will empower towns and cities to support […]
Right to regenerate: help or hindrance?
This article was originally published in React News (link here). Key Cities’ members have been mulling over the government’s recently-announced plans to boost local communities – Right to Regenerate. Among a raft of proposals, the new legislation would make it easier for members of the public to challenge local authorities to turn disused land and buildings […]
Major fibre investment in Sunderland
Sunderland is to benefit from an investment of £62m as part of CityFibre’s plans to help replace the UK’s legacy copper networks with gigabit-capable full fibre connectivity. The state-of-the-art infrastructure is forecast to boost business productivity and innovation, deliver millions of pounds in economic benefits for Sunderland and help the region to prosper – while […]
Homes and jobs at heart of new plan for Sunderland
A transformational masterplan that will reinvent the heart of Sunderland has been released today. The Riverside Sunderland Masterplan, which sets out a detailed blueprint for the regeneration of a key city centre quarter with sweeping views across the river, has been unveiled by Sunderland City Council. Describing Riverside Sunderland as ‘the most exciting regeneration site […]
£25m riverside boost for Sunderland
The Government has named 72 high streets that will receive a share of a £831m recovery fund designed to stimulate the recovery of town and city centres following the pandemic. Sunderland, along with Swindon, is to get the most money – £25m each – which will be used to build on Sunderland City Council’s Riverside […]
Key Cities welcomes new member cities
Bath, Exeter, Lincoln and Wrexham will join the network of 21 other member cities, which have a broad political and geographical spread across the UK. Key Cities works with other cities, towns and organisations across local government and beyond to deliver prosperity, protect the environment and raise standards of living across the country. The network […]
Coronavirus: Key Cities call for further financial measures
Councillor John Merry CBE, Chair of Key Cities and Deputy City Mayor of Salford sent an open letter urging the government to address the significant economic issues across the country. Key Cities members have a combined turnover of £63billion each year and the manufacturing value of Key Cities members in the north is £9.2billion per […]
