Manchester and Leeds win city-region status

Birmingham, Middlesbrough, Bristol, Luton and Sheffield are understood to have just missed out on the pilot scheme after bids from around England were submitted in March.

The city-region status will allow Manchester and Leeds to integrate work across local authorities, on issues such as planning, housing, transport, regeneration, employment and skills, and long-term economic growth.

The pilot will be overseen by government ministers and will draw on work from the Manchester Independent Economic Review and innovation in the Leeds city-region, the Treasury said. A formal action plan and terms have yet to be set.

Both Manchester and Leeds have established cross-council strategic groups – the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities and the Leeds City Region Partnership.

A Treasury spokesman said: ‘Work is also underway with partners in the west midlands on a proposal for an accelerated development zone and employment and skills.’

Councillor Andrew Carter, chair of the Leeds City Region Leaders Board, said he was delighted and the partnership had ‘great potential to deliver economic prosperity’.

‘Pilot status means that through our plans we can support local businesses and economies more effectively and achieve economic recovery more quickly than would otherwise be possible,’ he said.

Lord Peter Smith, Leader of AGMA, said the new status recognised the important contribution Manchester makes to the UK and on a regional level.

‘Successful regions such as Manchester should be given an opportunity to agree priorities, investment direction and pilot innovative programmes tailor-made for the needs of our people and our businesses, that support further economic growth and regeneration,’ he added.

The city-region model has grown out of the principle of multi-area agreements in 2006, and the government’s Review of sub-national economic development and regeneration.

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