Centre for Cities

City Talks: Andy Burnham on his vision for Greater Manchester

Now more than five months into his second term, the Mayor joined Director of Policy and Research Paul Swinney at this year’s Labour Party Conference for an in-depth discussion on his experiences as Mayor of Greater Manchester and his positioning on levelling up and devolution.

This episode is part of the Centre for Cities City Talks podcast series recorded at Labour Party Conference 2021. We invite you to rate, review and share the episode if you enjoyed it.

City Talks: Tracy Brabin on her vision as West Yorkshire‘s first metro mayor

In May 2021 Tracy Brabin made history as West Yorkshire’s first metro mayor, and Britain’s first female metro mayor.

In this episode of City Talks Andrew Carter caught up with her to discuss her first few months in office, why she stood and her vision for West Yorkshire.

This episode is part of the Centre for Cities City Talks podcast series. Please rate, review and share the episode if you enjoyed it.

City Minutes: How can we level up struggling UK towns?

Our research shows that not every UK town is struggling. What can we learn from successful towns about the levelling up agenda? What are the main characteristics that differentiate strong towns from weaker ones and what policy is needed to make long-lasting change?

This City Minutes explores these questions as part of our wider ongoing work into the performance of UK towns in the context of levelling up.

In the second episode, host Andrew Carter is joined by Centre for Cities’ Senior Analyst Kathrin Enenkel to discuss how we can bring greater prosperity to towns that are struggling.

Explore our work on levelling up towns here.

City Minutes: Exploring the cities versus towns debate

The cities versus towns debate is often unhelpfully pitched as an ‘us versus them’ scenario. What is the nature of the economic relationship between cities and towns and how does it play out across the UK? What implications does the debate have for policy makers and people alike?

This City Minutes explores these questions as part of our wider ongoing work into the performance of UK towns in the context of levelling up.

In the first episode, host Andrew Carter is joined by Centre for Cities’ Senior Analyst Kathrin Enenkel to discuss the symbiotic relationship between cities and towns and how they benefit from each other.

Explore our work on levelling up towns here. 

City Minutes: How to level up... public services

What regional inequalities do different parts of the UK face? And which policies should the Government implement to bridge these divides and level up the country?

City Minutes is exploring these questions in a mini-series on how to level up the UK.

In the fourth episode, host Andrew Carter speaks with Centre for Cities’ Director of Policy and Research Paul Swinney to discuss the impact of a decade of austerity on the UK's largest cities and towns and the policy interventions needed to reverse these and level up public services.

Find all of our work on how to level up the UK here.

City Minutes: How to level up... transport

What regional inequalities do different parts of the UK face? And which policies should the Government implement to bridge these divides and level up the country?

City Minutes is exploring these questions in a mini-series on how to level up the UK.

In the third episode, host Andrew Carter speaks with Centre for Cities’ Researcher Tom Sells to discuss the policy interventions needed to level up the public transport system in cities and large towns.

Find all of our work on how to level up the UK here.

City Minutes: How to level up... high streets and city centres

What regional inequalities do different parts of the UK face? And which policies should the Government implement to bridge these divides and level up the country?

City Minutes is exploring these questions in a mini-series on how to level up the UK.

In the second episode, host Andrew Carter speaks with Centre for Cities’ Analyst Valentine Quinio to discuss the challenges that our high streets and city centres face, and the policy interventions needed to support them.

Find all of our work on how to level up the UK here.

City Minutes: How Covid-debt and Covid-saving will shape post-pandemic cities

The UK’s lockdown and restrictions have meant that some people are likely to have accumulated savings over the past 15 months, which could now be used to refuel the economy as we enter the recovery phase. However, Centre for Cities’ latest research reveals these Covid-savings are not distributed evenly across the country, as not everyone has had the same experience of the pandemic.

Elena Magrini and Tom Sells - authors of Centre for Cities’ recent report - join Chief Executive Andrew Carter to share their reflections on how the pandemic has affected people’s spending, saving and debt in different ways and what this means for the recovery of the UK’s cities and largest towns.

City Minutes: How to level up.... skills

What regional inequalities do different parts of the UK face? And which policies should the Government implement to bridge these divides and level up the country?

Over the next few weeks City Minutes will explore these questions in a mini-series on how to level up the UK.

In the first episode, host Andrew Carter speaks with Centre for Cities’ Senior Analyst and skills expert Elena Magrini to discuss the education-related challenges that people in different cities and towns face, and the policy interventions needed to support them.

Find all of our work on how to level up the UK here.

City Minutes: The legacy of sporting events on urban economies

Hosting an iconic sporting event such as the Olympic or Commonwealth Games can help to put a city on the international stage, but do they have a positive long-term economic effect?

For this episode of City Minutes, Senior Analyst Anthony Breach joins Chief Executive Andrew Carter to debate whether big sporting events can make a long-term difference to cities' economies and discuss what policymakers should consider to ensure that these events deliver real long-term economic improvements.