ResPublica commences new project in partnership with the Core Cities group

22^nd May 2014

“The New City States: England’s path to local economic growth and public sector reform”, a new ResPublica project in partnership with the cities at the centre of England's eight largest urban areas

ResPublica has partnered with the Core Cities group to explore and present a fresh vision for the future shape of England’s public services, and its inextricable link to local economic growth.

The unique research project will engage with the cities at the centre of England’s eight largest urban areas to identify the fiscal gains to be had from full budgetary devolution to local authorities and the fullest possible integration of local public services. The research will identify the constitutional and departmental barriers to devolution and integration, and will outline a way ahead to ensure that the administrative and legislative barriers to full area devolution are identified and removed.

Integration of public services will be explored in the context of developing a new public service model that concentrates on the holistic care of the person and their community such that the service silos and the conflicting approaches of the local and national state are overcome in a new transformative localised model of public service delivery. This will build on the Government’s Community Budget pilots and further explore the benefits of place based integration for the resolution of people’s problems.

This research project will deliver interim findings through public events at all three party conferences, and will conclude with a publication and policy recommendations in November 2014.

For further information regarding this project, please contact ResPublica’s Localism Lead, Mark Morrin, at mark.morrin@respublica.org.uk and Head of Research, Caroline Julian, at caroline.julian@respublica.org.uk.

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