Centre for Cities response to Industrial Strategy

“The Government has rightly identified the need to tackle the UK’s poor productivity, and has broadly set out sensible solutions to do so. But what’s missing from this strategy is a clear recognition of the distinct economic challenges that different places face, and how policy needs to be co-ordinated at the local level to address them.

“For example, to boost productivity in Manchester, efforts to improve the tram system need to be tied in with measures to tackle skills gaps in the city’s workforce. Similarly, moves to boost jobs in sectors such as the Life Sciences should be coupled with efforts to build more homes in places like Cambridge, so that people can take advantage of these opportunities.

“Ultimately, local leaders already know what the most pressing challenges are in their places. Now the Government must give them the powers and resources they need to deal with them.”