Green Belt, migration, and apprenticeships. Each offer huge opportunities for local innovation, more effective delivery, and better policy outcomes with changes in relative national, and sub-national powers and resources. Find out what David and Mike think in this episode of LED Confidential.

Discover the untapped potential of universities in local economic development. Dr Louise Kempton of CURDS joins Mike and David as they discuss the complexities, challenges, and possibilities for universities to drive placemaking and transform communities.

In this episode, Mike and David review the highlights of April 2023, including the Dominic Raab bullying saga, the imminent submission of Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs), and the inception of new unitary councils in England. They delve into the complex relationships between elected politicians and senior officials, the importance of employer leadership and voice in skills planning, and the balancing act between seamless transition and achieving a clean break in local government reorganisation.

David, Mike, and guest Professor Pete Tyler discuss the UK’s forthcoming Investment Zones and the history of area-based initiatives, from the pioneering Enterprise Zones of the 1980s, through Freeports, and the more recent Opportunity Zones of the US. If you’re an economic developer who wants to design successful zones, don’t miss this episode!

Join David and Mike as they review what March 2023 meant for local economic development in Britain. They analyse the Spring Budget statement from the UK Government, the new trailblazer devolution deals for Greater Manchester and the West Midlands, and why the country struggles with slow delivery of major infrastructure projects.