In a dynamic and thought-provoking event Lancashire County Councillor Aidy Riggott and Simon Lawrence, Director of Growth and Regeneration, spearheaded discussions on the Lancashire Devolution Proposal.
The Group chair and chief executive of Downtown in Business Frank McKenna has cautiously welcomed the ‘Level 2’ devolution deal announced in the Chancellor’s recent
Jim feels Labour have a chance of regaining seats in Scotland because of the Scot Nats poor record on services for which their new leader must take some of the blame.He also reports on a major shake up in local government in Cumbria.
Long-serving chief executive at Warrington Borough Council, Vice Chairman of Rugby Super League Club Warrington Wolves, and early adopter and supporter of Downtown in Business, Prof. Steven Broomhead joins Downtown CEO Frank McKenna in the Downtown Den.
The defection of the Bury South MP to Labour has only served to prop up Boris Johnson according to Jim. But his blog this week focuses on Lancashire’s unusual bid for devolution and the challenge faced by small businesses by Greater Manchester’s Clean Air Zone.
Will the new Minister for Housing, Communities & Local Government progress the devolution agenda – or has the King of the North put the Tories off Mayors?
Has levelling up the North been abandoned? Is the government spooked by voters in Amersham? Jim looks at the prospects for real money and power being devolved to our cities, towns and countryside.
At a recent Downtown in Business Liverpool event, we were joined by Professor Michael Parkinson from the Heseltine Institute and Alison McGovern, MP for Wirral South, to discuss the successes and failures of Devolution for the Liverpool City Region.
Welcome to April’s DM. In this edition we are asking all about ‘Devolution’.
Manchester is still the ‘blueprint’ city-region that others watch and learn from. But an hour with Burnham or Leese will tell you that their frustration at the stalling of the devolution project is starting to increase.
Frank McKenna asks if Liverpool has turned the corner onto Powerhouse Progress or if it’s old-style politics will return.
Frank McKenna explains why it’s time for Lancashire to show true ambition.
