Agenda item

In absence of Claire Hogan, Philip Clifford (Senior Adviser) updated the board on the progress of the commission. He advised members that the commission had held evidence sessions and were trying to build an evidence base for a new model for growth. The RSA were currently considering possible key debates and were asking for written evidence from all stakeholders. It was estimated the commission would conclude next year.

He asked members to consider the questions in appendix A and suggest any areas that they would like to see a focus on. He also requested that members look over the planned future activities at party conferences and advise if there were areas they would like prioritised.

In the discussion which followed, members made the following points:

·         It was felt that an international perspective was lacking in the report and there was concern that it might not present solutions which would work at scale.

·         There needed to be concentration on economically successful places and thought put into how to maintain economic growth in these areas.

·         Smaller cities experiencing problems of their own success should be considered. Policies on the greenbelt needed updating as it was preventing expansion and the building of new housing. However, members emphasised that spatial and lack of housing were problems in larger cities as well. Members also raised concerns that some contaminated land in local areas had been left untreated. This needed to be treated and used.

·         Local government structure was complex and outdated, and current suggestions from government were not addressing this. As a result, local communities were trying to speak with one voice but were unable to.

·         It was suggested that the problems of assertions without evidence should be raised in one of the seminars. The issue of inclusive growth without inclusive economies was discussed, and it was felt there had been an assumption that places were the same as communities. Investment needed to be made in the nature of place to encourage people to continue to live there. It was felt that the paperwork was vague on this point.

·         Procurement and supply chains needed to be more inclusive in economies.

·         In scale, the least inclusive parts of the country were urban areas. It was felt this was a point the board should be making.

·         Demographics were also discussed, and the imbalance of the population when those aged 45+ were finding their skills were becoming less relevant as the skills of younger people became more so. The point was also made that young people were more mobile - there were no longer jobs for life and young people were being forced to move in order to progress. Solutions needed to be found to address both problems.

·         Universities were discussed in relation to the above issue, and the idea that if a city established a university, it would retain its young population. The evidence illustrated however, that young people applied to universities based on a city’s lifestyle. It was further felt that there were different demographic divides in all societies and it was important to look at the generality rather than individual cases. Projects needed to benefit more than a few hundred people.

·         The point was made that there was a danger of focusing too much on wider areas in preference to local areas. Local level solutions should be worked on to connect people back into the local economy.

·         However, members emphasised that it was important to recognise the relationships between areas surrounding each other and that all of these places needed to be inclusive. For example, all the more economically inclusive parts of greater Manchester surrounding it related to it economically.

·         A key objective would be to enable people that lived in an urban centre to earn the same amount as those that commuted there. In addition, having a high employment rate in an area did not necessarily indicate greater inclusivity. Manchester for example, had a large student population in part time work which was reflected in average wages there.

·         Members asked at what point Britain had been more inclusive. It was acknowledged that this was a contested point, but the evidence suggested Britain had been more inclusive 40 years ago.

Decisions:

Members: