London Councils has welcomed a major new report from the UK Urban Futures Commission, which makes the case for unleashing the potential of the UK’s cities for boosting growth, repairing the social fabric, and meeting net zero targets.
The UK Urban Futures Commission
The UK Urban Futures Commission enquires how to unlock the potential of the UK’s cities. Led by the RSA in partnership with Core Cities UK and Lloyds Banking Group, the commission will work with cities and citizens to develop a transformative national plan for their future.
Three questions will guide the work of the UK Urban Futures Commission:
- What are cities and what role do they play in our social, economic and environmental systems? What are the biggest challenges and opportunities – both now and in the coming decades?
- In light of those challenges, what is our vision for cities in the future? What do we want and need them to be?
- How do we reach our vision for cities? What steps can we take now to get there?
The Report
The report, produced in partnership between the RSA and Core Cities UK, calls for a new suite of local powers to support city leaders and attract private sector investment.
“A great many of the UK’s great cities are hives of activity, hubs of culture, mechanisms of delivery, envied around the world. Yet so much of their potential remains untapped. There is huge scope for them to add dynamism to our economies, cohesiveness to our communities, redemption to our environment. The long-term dividends from doing so are enormous. The practical question is – how it is to be done?” This report seeks to provide practical and implementable answers to that question through various chapters.
London Councils response
Cllr Claire Holland, Acting Chair of London Councils, said:
“Devolving more powers and resources to the local level is key to addressing so many of the challenges communities face across the country – and this applies to London too. Compared to other countries around the world, the UK still operates within a highly centralised national structure that too often undermines local leaders’ ability to get the best possible results for residents”.
“Boroughs in the capital are as determined as ever that London’s devolution journey is not yet over. With more financial levers at our disposal, we would be in a much stronger position to boost growth and invest in the long-term future of Londoners’ local services”. London Councils says it will continue to work alongside cities from across the UK in pushing forward this vital agenda.