Cities launch ‘Magna Carta’ for devolution

6 Feb 15
Ten of the UK’s largest cities have today launched a ‘freedom charter’ setting out demands for devolution that they said would drive national prosperity and boost local economies.

By Richard Johnstone | 9 February 2015

Ten of the UK’s largest cities have today launched a ‘freedom charter’ setting out demands for devolution that they said would drive national prosperity and boost local economies.

Glasgow Town Hall

Publishing the ‘Magna Carta for the 21st century’ in Glasgow, the Core Cities Group said greater control of taxation and spending would be ‘revolutionary’ by allowing public spending to be more tailored to local circumstances.

The charter, published in the 800th anniversary year of the Magna Carta, said the government should allow cities that want extra freedoms and meet set criteria, to retain some property taxes and a percentage of income tax. They should also be given much greater freedom to reform and join up all public services locally, with job and skills scheme and housing support among the key areas for change.

Allowing cities to be able to apply for additional powers was among the recommendations of the RSA's flagship City Growth Commission last October.

The members of the Core Cities Group – Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham and Sheffield – highlighted they contributed almost a quarter of Britain’s economic output.

Launching the proposals in Glasgow, Core Cities chair and leader of Manchester City Council Sir Richard Leese said they could do even more with further devolution.

‘We believe it is only by devolving powers to cities and their regions that the UK can succeed on a global stage.’

He stated that if additional powers were right for Scotland and Wales, they could be good enough for all cities.

Manchester signed a devolution deal with Whitehall in November, but Leese said there was still a need for a revolutionary shift in power to local areas.

‘This is a low-risk, high-impact strategy to secure a bolder, better national future that will create jobs, improve lives and renew our democracy.’

Speaking at the event, Glasgow City Council leader Gordon Matheson accused a ‘centralising, power-grabbing Scottish Government’ as being as much a barrier to achieving optimal economic growth and tackling inequality as an over-bearing Whitehall.

‘Merely transferring powers between one parliament and another does not advance the cities agenda,’ he said.

‘All political parties in Scotland should back this charter and urgently commit to devolving many existing and new Smith Commission powers to Scotland's major cities and communities, starting with Glasgow, which is best placed to benefit.’

At the event, Scotland’s minister for cities Keith Brown announced that €15m from the country’s allocation from the European Regional Development Fund for 2014-2020 would be used to improve the technological infrastructure in cities.
The Scottish Cities Alliance will develop a programme of projects across all seven cities to help boost economic growth through greater use of technology.
Brown, who is Infrastructure, Investment and Cities Secretary, said smart cities were the future.
‘This means being smart about how we use data and technology to improve services, promote innovation and empower people and communities,’ he said.

‘European cities such as Barcelona and Amsterdam are leading the way with their ‘smart agenda’ and I am determined that our cities develop the cutting-edge technological infrastructure needed to compete internationally. The fact that this money has been ring fenced specifically for cities, against many other competing priorities, recognises their importance to our economy.'

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