Local Economic Development and the Sub-National Review: Old Wine in New Bottles?

摘要

This article examines the evolution of local government economic development activities in England against the background of central-local relations and specifically the Sub-National Review (SNR) completed as part of the Treasury's 2007 Spending Review. The exercise represented perhaps the most comprehensive assessment of this aspect of public policy ever undertaken and was notable for the enhanced status and role which was proposed for local government. This vision is assessed in the light of earlier periods of local economic development and highlights a number of recurrent themes and challenges. The article concludes by examining how far these recurrent themes have been addressed in the SNR process and considers whether the proposals truly represent a sea change in government's attitude towards the contribution of local government to regional and local economic development.