ippr's Centre for Cities has announced its eight partner cities and towns. All eight will play a key role in the Centre's three new research projects. They are Birmingham, Barnsley, Derby, Doncaster, Dundee, Liverpool, Manchester and Sunderland. The Centre for Cities chose a mix of large cities and towns, in different parts of the country, each facing different challenges and opportunities.

The Centre for Cities will be working with:

• Dundee, Liverpool and Manchester on the City People project. This will look at the growth of city-centre living.
• Derby, Doncaster and Sunderland on the City Markets project. This will look at why businesses choose to invest in deprived areas.
• Barnsley, Birmingham and Liverpool on the City Leadership project. This will ask how cities can take on more financial powers.

All three projects will actively engage with the people, businesses and leaders of each city and town, through stakeholder meetings, focus groups and surveys.

Dermot Finch, Director, Centre for Cities, said:

“We are very pleased to be working with these eight cities and towns. We wanted to work with a number of different places - not just in England, and not just the big cities. These cities and towns offer us a mix of the large and the small, each facing different challenges and opportunities.

The Centre for Cities is looking at the economics of growth and change in urban areas across the UK. Our first three projects all focus on investment as a key driver of city growth. City People looks at investment in city-centre living; City Markets looks at investment in deprived urban areas; and City Leadership looks at how cities can raise more of their own investment.”

Notes to Editors:

City People will ask what is driving city centre living in UK city centres. Who lives there, why and how long will they stay? What is the social and economic impact of city-centre living? Is there a catalyst effect on the city as a whole? It will report in December 2005 and include case studies of Dundee, Liverpool and Manchester.

City Markets will look at the changing business profile in deprived areas of small cities and large towns, and why certain businesses choose to locate there. It will also examine the Government's record of promoting enterprise in deprived urban areas. This project will influence the future shape of the Government's Local Enterprise Growth Initiative (LEGI). It will report by May 2006 and include case studies in Derby, Doncaster and Sunderland.

City Leadership will examine cities' existing economic development toolkit – and will make the case for greater financial devolution to the city level. It is asking: What functions should be run at what level? What are the implications of greater financial devolution to cities? How do we make city governance economically effective, and accountable to local needs? And would elected city mayors help achieve better economic outcomes? City Leadership will report in March 2006 and include case studies in Barnsley, Birmingham and Liverpool.

The Centre for Cities is an independent urban policy research unit, based at ippr – the Institute for Public Policy Research. Launched in March 2005, it is taking a fresh look at how UK cities function. It is funded by Lord Sainsbury of Turville.