Bristol Mayor calls for increased power and investment in cities

The Mayor of Bristol has joined the leaders and mayors of the UK’s most powerful cities in calling on the government for increased powers and investment to help Bristol achieve its potential.

Following a new report from Core Cities UK, Invest Reform Trust, which argues that the UK’s most economically powerful cities outside London can strengthen the UK’s labour market and industrial sectors post Brexit if they are given enough powers and freedoms, Marvin Rees is calling for more powers and investment from the government.

The paper calls on the government to rebalance the UK and adopt a local focus to policy to ensure a stronger and fairer Britain.

Cities want a new settlement which sees power passing from central government to local communities, allowing cities to take back control of service provision and help rebalance the economy by supporting economic growth.

International evidence shows that cities that have the most control over taxes raised in their area tend to be the most productive, but the UK is significantly out of step with international competitors in the power given to cities.

Productivity of UL cities lags behind competitors and boosting the productivity of the UK’s Core Cities to the UK’s national average would increase the country’s national income by £70-£90 billion a year.

Core Cities UK’s paper also proposes that cities play a bigger role in boosting the UK’s international trading links, given the importance of city-to-city relationships in boosting trade and investment.

It calls for a new partnership with the Department for International Trade to develop an Urban Trade programme across the UK’s cities and more of a role for cities int trade missions.

Marvin Rees, Mayor of Bristol, said: “Bristol is consistently rated as one of the best places to live and visit in the UK. With its wealth of culture, together with its attractiveness, friendliness and accessibility, it has a visitor economy in excess of £1.3billion that supports both leisure and business tourism.

“However, we have faced significantly reduced government funding, while the cost of providing vital services to more people has risen substantially. This is a huge challenge and at the same time, we’re determined to deliver on our priorities and make Bristol a more equal city where no-one is left behind and where there is less of a need to rely on the council doing everything it once did.

“The paper we launched yesterday highlights how, by building a better Bristol through greater investment and the ability to make more decisions locally, we, along with the other core cities, can help deliver for the nation.

“So far, ministers have not involved us in plans for the economy after Brexit – so I, with the other core city leaders, am taking the opportunity to start that discussion, and we are reminding ministers we want to be part of an inclusive conversation.”