Centre for Cities

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The Centre for Cities is an independent urban policy research unit based at the Institute for Public Policy Research, in London. It examines the functioning of cities in the United Kingdom. It was launched in March 2005, and is funded by Lord Sainsbury of Turville. The Centre's Director is Dermot Finch, formerly of HM Treasury.

The Centre’s purpose includes addressing areas of research seen to have insufficient coverage, as well as the promotion of specific proposals for action to try to improve the 'performance' of cities. The Centre's active projects from 2005-2006 include:

City People: City centre living in the UK, was published on January 12, 2006. The report examines the size and nature of the city centre living phenomenon, and the nature of urban renaissance, focusing on the inner-cities of Dundee, Liverpool and Manchester. It explores the causes, the demographics, and relative mobility of the residents. There is also an assessment of economic and social benefits associated with city centre living.^{[citation needed]}

City Leadership: Giving city-regions the power to grow, was published on February 22, 2006. It examines the economic case for financial devolution, using original research in Birmingham, Liverpool and Barnsley. It argues that Government must devolve substantial spending and revenue-raising powers to our biggest city-regions, starting with Greater Manchester and Birmingham. The report feeds into the Lyons Inquiry, Local Government White Paper and Comprehensive Spending Review.^{[citation needed]}

City Markets, was published on June 19th, 2006. This project explored the influences on business location and investment decisions in UK inner city areas. It examined the relative roles of the economic drivers and policy initiatives (i.e. the “market-pull” and “policy-push” factors) that affect business decisions. The report focussed on firms located in Enterprise Areas within Derby, Doncaster and Sunderland.^{[citation needed]}

In the coming year the Centre is planning to take a closer look at the economic performance of UK cities - and explore related issues such as transport, the consumer industries and the links between cities.

City Performance: The Centre is planning to produce a series of papers on the future drivers, enablers and barriers to urban growth, and the prospects for UK cities - large and small.

City Transport: The Centre is planning to explore various issues regarding the improvement of transport infrastructure in cities.

Consumer Cities: The Centre is planning to examine the growing importance of growth sectors such as retail and leisure in an attempt to find out more about the changing nature of urban economies.

City Links: The Centre also plans to explore the links and flows between our major cities.

The Centre also publishes periodic discussion papers, topics for which have included city centre housing markets in the UK, enterprise policy in deprived areas, the Lyons Inquiry and creative classes theory. While the Centre was created by the Institute for Public Policy Research (ippr), and spent the first few years housed by the ippr, it is expected to become independent by 2008. The Centre has distanced itself from the centre-left value base of the ippr, and aims to present itself as politically non-aligned.