1. Key Cities and the Industrial Strategy
Paul Hayes
Wakefield Council
& Key Cities Group

2. Key Cities - Formation & Membership
Founded in 2013
21 members
Combined population of 7.2 million & GVA of £149 billion
Comprises both Labour & Conservative controlled councils
Tackle common issues across cities & provide a single voice;
Lobby Government (solely or in partnership) on issues of importance to cities;
Influence key national and international strategies;
Raise the profile of cities with businesses and investors;
All but 2 Key Cities residents voted to leave the EU

3. The emerging Industrial Strategy
Five ‘Foundations’ to Strategy:
Ideas - the world’s most innovative economy
People - good jobs and greater earning power for all
Infrastructure - a major upgrade to the UK’s infrastructure
Business Environment - the best place to start and grow a business
Places - prosperous communities across the UK
Strategy also identifies four ‘Grand Challenges’ for government to commit to.
put the UK at the forefront of the artificial intelligence and data revolution;
maximise the advantages for UK industry of the global shift to clean growth;
become a world leader in shaping the future of mobility;
harness the power of innovation to help meet the needs of an ageing society

4. ‘Local Industrial Strategies’
Places in England with a Mayoral Combined Authority will have a single strategy led by the mayor and supported by LEPs. For parts of the country without a mayor, the development of the strategy will be led by the LEP
Strategies will help identify priorities to improve skills, increase innovation and enhance infrastructure and business growth. This will guide the use of local funding streams and any spending from national schemes.
Local Industrial Strategies will be: “long-term, based on clear evidence, and aligned to the national Industrial Strategy. They will identify local strengths and challenges, future opportunities and the action needed to boost productivity, earning power and competitiveness.”
The first Local Industrial Strategies will be agreed by March “We will prioritise areas with the potential to drive wider regional growth, focusing on clusters of expertise and centres of economic activity.”
“We also recognise the need to have policy flexibility below the regional or LEP level. That could be to support innovation in economic clusters or to ensure that inner city boroughs, or small towns and their rural hinterlands, are able to contribute to, and benefit from, wider economic growth.”

5. Industrial Strategy - Initial questions
The return of the 1960’s Wilson Govt’s ‘White Heat of Technology’ approach to investment priorities?
Signals a returned increase in influence of LEPs – particularly outside areas with a regional directly elected mayor
To what extent will Industrial Strategy be market led or ‘mission driven government’?
How will Local Industrial Strategies be impacted by Devolution and ‘post political cities’?
Will this focus deliver productivity or employment - esp. in smaller places or ‘Left Behind Britain’?
How will ‘events’ and Brexit shape Industrial Strategy?