David and Mike dissect the findings and recommendations of the Public Accounts Committee's report into the UK Government's three showcase 'Levelling Up' funds.

David and Mike are joined by leading spatial economist

David and Mike discuss how far the UK Government’s

On February 13th, the UK Government announced a further elaboration of their 2023 Long-Term Plan for Housing. “Every council in England will be told that they will need to prioritise brownfield developments and instructed to be less bureaucratic and more flexible in applying policies that halt housebuilding on brownfield land. “ David and Mike discuss what all this means for LEDC listeners, their cities, towns and regions.  

With think tank New Local publishing a paper calling for 'Total Place 2.0', David and Mike revisit their recollections of ‘Total Place 1.0' – the place based budgeting pilots of the Blair-Brown government. They consider why it remains a compelling idea, albeit with some very practical challenges.

New Local paper: https://www.newlocal.org.uk/articles/total-place-2-0-video-john-denham/

In this episode David and Mike are joined by Alex Hiniker, Director of the Sustainability Initiative at Carnegie Mellon University and facilitator of the first ever Voluntary Local Review (VLR) of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), completed for New York City. Learn more about how the SDGs and the mechanism of the VLR can be an important and relevant driver for LED and placemaking.

LEDC's final Espresso Shot for February...David and Mike pitch their Budget for local economic development

LEDC's second Espresso Shot for February 2024...With the publication of Cities Outlook 2024 by the Centre for Cities, David and Mike ask: do think tank reports contribute to ‘analysis paralysis’, or can they be made operationally relevant?

In their first Espresso Shot episode of February 24, Mike and David explore the under-appreciated role of the Public Works Loan Board in the recent financial difficulties of English councils

David, Mike, and Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett discuss the 'Salford Way' in this special episode. They talk inclusive economic growth, the mayoral model, and collaboration across Greater Manchester. Discover how Salford embraces its heritage as a cultural and industrial pioneer.