John Shutt

From RDAs to LEPs: A New Localism? Case Examples of West Midlands and Yorkshire

The new Coalition Government formed in May 2010 in the UK is to abolish Regional Development Agencies and, in the name of a ‘new localism’, is to replace them with Local Enterprise Partnerships, ‘joint local authority-business bodies brought forward by local authorities to promote local economic development’. This article looks at the proposals for LEPs, in the light of theories of governance. It explores the case examples of the West Midlands and Yorkshire and Humberside, where there have been differing proposals for region-wide LEPs. It argues that far from localism, the move to set up LEPs is profoundly ant-regionalist and is re-centralisation in disguise, given that many economic development functions are being taken back to Whitehall. That problem of recentralisation, we suggest, risks being exacerbated by a fragmentation of LEPs into small territorial units, and a lack of resources.

Encouraging the Transition into Self-employment

SHUTT J. and SUTHERLAND J. (2003) Encouraging the transition into self- employment, Reg. Studies 37 , 97-103. A feature of the current New Deal policy is the encouragement now given to young people to consider becoming self- employed. This article reports the findings of an evaluation of a Princes Trust sponsored scheme in the Yorkshire and Humber region to facilitate the transition into self-employment and uses these findings to make policy recommendations of relevance to the current operation of the New Deal programme.

Leadership and systems of governance: the constraints on the scope for leadership of place-based development in sub-national territories

ABSTRACT Leadership and systems of governance: the constraints on the scope for leadership of place-based development in sub-national territories. Regional Studies. A triadic conceptualization of leadership, governance systems and central–local relations is constructed in order to aid understandings about the influence of systems of governance on the scope for place-based leadership. Deploying the dual concepts of ‘permissibility’ and ‘acceptability’ provides an innovative analytical device for deciphering the actually existing nature of place-based leadership. Recently initiated public–private partnerships in one of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) most centralized countries are analysed to articulate characteristics of controlling mechanisms of the national system of governance which shape the degree of autonomy of leadership of city and regional development in sub-national terrains.

Structural Funds and Their Impact: Signed and Sealed, But Can We Deliver?

This paper seeks to examine some of the lessons from the past: in particular the 1994-1999 programming period of the EU Structural Funds. It then proposes to examine the current UK implementation of the Structural Fund programmes for 2000-2006 and raise some issues which currently emerge in terms of the UK governments new policy agenda affecting economic development. Thereafter the paper develops this analysis in order to raise some early issues in preparing for post-2006, which need to be considered in the post-devolution era in the UK.

Employability, skills and talent management in Zhejiang Province

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report on a three‐year PMI2 project for the British Council in 2008, one of seven to develop and strengthen partnerships with Chinese institutions in employability and entrepreneurship. Involving a partnership between Leeds Metropolitan University England and the Zhejiang University of Technology Hangzhou, China, the aim has been to analyse the Hangzhou and Zhejiang economies and examine current Chinese company requirements for skills and talent and their implications for teaching and learning and graduate supply. This was intended to strengthen the existing partnerships at a civic level between Leeds and Hangzhou and the successful MA in Trade and Finance run by the two universities.Design/methodology/approach – The paper draws on preliminary interview studies in China of Hangzhou companies in different industrial sectors to analyse the skill and talent needs of such companies, their demands for graduate talent in particular and their views about the adequacy of ...

Responding to a coalfield closure: old Issues for a new regional development agency?

This paper examines the response of a new Regional Development Agency, Yorkshire Forward, to the sudden announcement that the Selby coalfield in North Yorkshire would close with the potential loss of 4000 regional jobs. Once the ‘jewel in the crown’ of the UK coal industry, its demise has repercussions beyond the Selby district. Following an examination of coal industry restructuring, previous regeneration efforts and issues, the paper considers the impact of closure. It is argued that by rapid analysis of the situation and by leading a Task Force to engage a range of interested parties and experts, the RDA has demonstrated a coordinated sectoral and spatial response to crisis management.

AFTER REGIONS: WHAT NEXT FOR LOCAL ENTERPRISE PARTNERSHIPS?

Standing out as an oddity in comparison to the convergence of policy across EU nations whereby the merits of regional apparatus – however defined – for administering development support appear to be accepted, the UK Government has abandoned England’s experiment with regionalism. Under the banner of localism, providing the thinnest of masks for swingeing public expenditure cuts, sub-national development activity (encompassing planning, regeneration, infrastructure development, enterprise support and spatial leadership) is in the throes of considerable economic shifts, policy flux and institutional upheaval (Ward & Hardy, 2012). This article attempts to address some of the questions posed in The regional lacuna: a preliminary map of the transition from Regional Development Agencies to Local Economic Partnerships (Pugalis, 2011) and helps to advance some of the points relating to the emerging sub-national development landscape published in recent issues of Regions (e.g. Bailey, 2011). The purpose is to take stock of policy developments underway by means of a post-regional sub-national review in order to outline the future development trajectory of Local Enterprise Partnerships.

The Future of Local Economic Development

With the 2005 General Election pending, it is opportune to reflect on the Labour government’s achievements in local and regional economic development. Since the establishment of the Regional Development Agencies in 1999, strategic advances have been made at regional level; but at local level, considerable complexity and uncertainty has arisen. The ‘In Perspective’ in this issue examines local economic development partnerships and the issues they encounter. Fragmentation in the delivery of central programmes is commonplace. In 2004, the Audit Commission reported on the delivery of central government priorities at local level as suffering from an ‘Humpty Dumpty’ effect: ‘efforts to promote economic growth, social justice and environmental sustainability fracture when they hit the ground in departmental silos, just like Humpty Dumpty when he fell off the wall’ (Audit Commission, 2004). Economic development is undergoing further mid-term transformation as part of the broader modernisation of government and society at various levels. First, with regard to the public services agenda, all local authorities must now prepare a community strategy with enhanced targets for their policies and programmes. Modernisation at local level has involved new local strategic partnerships (LSPs) and stronger dialogue with the private, voluntary and community sectors. Secondly, there is the changing regional agenda and issue of regionalisation of powers. Although the outcome of the North-East referendum may have stalled the regional governance initiative, the economic development agenda has nevertheless progressed. Central to this is the enhanced role of the Regional Development Agencies (RDAs),

Towards 2006: European Union regional policy and UK local government: A new regional agenda

Abstract This paper reviews the interaction of the EU and UK regional policy agendas and raises a number of issues which need further research and need to be kept under continuous review throughout 1998 and 1999. President Santer has set the European Commission two fundamental objectives: strengthening the Union and preparing for enlargement. The new treaty for Europe agreed at Amsterdam has cleared the way for Agenda 2000 which deals with the financial agenda and the reform of the Unions internal policies, especially regional policy and agricultural policy. The paper examines the interaction of the European policy agenda with the new UK regional devolution and Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) agenda following the publication of the RDA White Paper in November 1997. In England, nine new Regional Development Agencies will become fully operational in April 1999 (London in 2000) with a brief to coordinate regional economic development. Shadow boards will be established in November 1998 following Royal As...

China: Hangzhou and Zheijiang—a Beacon for the New Chinese Economy?

Reports on the leading role of Hangzhou City and Zheijang province key companies and the changing Chinese economy