our work
Our annual Cities Outlook report evaluates the economic performance of the UK’s 64 main cities, is read widely in Whitehall, Westminster and cities across the UK, and receives extensive media coverage.
Through our Partner City programme we work with specific cities, to produce new solutions and fresh thinking on the challenges and opportunities that they and other cities face. We publish tailored research reports on each of our partner cities, as well as featuring them as case studies throughout our work. Previous partner cities include Belfast, Cambridge, Hull, Liverpool, York, Derby, Croydon and Sheffield.
2012 research
Our 2012 research programme will focus on helping UK cities and businesses to support private sector economic and jobs growth at a time of global economic uncertainty.
We will be working closely with cities across the 64 Primary Urban Areas we study, national Government and the private sector to ensure our research offers practical policy advice on what they can do to promote private sector economic and jobs growth in cities over the medium term.
Key themes for our 2012 research include:
City Transitions: How are UK cities responding to the on-going effects of the recession and what does this mean for their future growth potential? How do they differ in terms of their potential for growth and therefore the policy response that should be made? Are the lessons that can be drawn from elsewhere about how cities can make a successful transition during such significant economic change? Which cities are better placed to respond and take advantage of the transition to a low carbon economy?
City Enterprise: What are the characteristics of the private sector in the most successful city economies? How and why does the pattern and type of business vary across UK cities - size, density, industry structure, sectors, ownership, location, trade, etc.? What impact does this variation have on their potential to support jobs and wealth and what does this mean for policy?
City Centre Futures: Are some cities ‘hollowing out’, does this matter and what does this mean for policy? What are the impacts of where businesses choose to locate within cities and how are new policies and initiatives likely to influence this? What is the future for city centres in light of business and consumer trends (e.g. out-of-town and internet, combined with the consumers paying down debts rather than spending and borrowing)? How can cities support economic growth in their city centres?
We will also be exploring funding and finance, innovation and international trade.
To find out more about our 2012 research programme, and how your organisation could get involved, please contact:
Andrew Carter
Director of Policy & Research
020 7803 4318
