Centre for Cities

All Party Urban Development Group

Britain's creaking transport infrastructure will not improve unless the Government loosens its grip on local authorities - so says a cross-party group of MPs today. The All Party Urban Development Group, chaired by Labour MP Clive Betts, pubished its first report today - see http://www.allparty-urbandevelopment.org.uk/

"Loosening the Leash" says that our excessively centralised system of finance is stifling new investment in essential transport infrastructure. The report is really well-timed, and comes out just weeks before Michael Lyons is due to report on the role and funding of local government.

Guardian Unlimited picked up the story today - see http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0,,2021576,00.html

We do the research for the Group, and are now working on their second inquiry on Business Investment and Development in Deprived Areas. The inquiry session is on 20 March, in the House of Commons.

Petition against road pricing

1.7 million people have now signed that petition against road pricing:   http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/traveltax/

The Government claims that this is a great example of open debate. But it's not really open debate, is it? This petition has bypassed a proper discussion about the pros and cons of road pricing, and could hold back new road pricing schemes for years.

Meanwhile, yesterday's extension of the London congestion charge is just a stepping-stone towards a London-wide road pricing scheme. Other cities are now considering schemes of their own, with the promise of funding from the centre. But there are a number of barriers in the way of road pricing in other cities:

• Politics: Ministers need to do a better job of explaining why they want road pricing. At the moment, drivers just see it as a tax. Yes, road pricing will cost drivers more money - but the costs of congestion are potentially even higher.
• Leadership: Road pricing needs strong leadership, to make it work. It's no accident that London has congestion charging - without Ken, it would never have happened. Other cities need to show equally strong leadership.
• Public transport: Ken has the transport powers he needs to make public transport a viable alternative in the capital. Other cities have far fewer powers, and so are less able to upgrade their transport networks.
• Up-front investment: All cities need to invest in improving their existing transport system before they go for road pricing. The Government can't get out of this, so needs to commit to major new investment in this year's Comprehensive Spending Review.

We need a much better debate on all these points, if road pricing is to work.

Council tax

I was on the 10 O' Clock telly news tonight, talking about council tax revaluation - which could be coming to a street near you around 2010.

Council tax was supposed to have been reviewed this year, with a revaluation of every home in England. But the Government said in 2005 that it would put off revaluation until after the next general election. The official reason was the Lyons Inquiry - which is due to report next month on the role and funding of local government.

But the other reason is that revaluation will push a lot of homeowners into a higher council tax band - and that's not clever politics just before an election. So revaluation is now unlikely much before 2010.

The last revaluation was in 1991 - a very long time ago. It's crazy that our local property tax system is based on house prices 16 years ago. The main problem here is that Ministers decide when revaluation should happen. It's time for Ministers to step back and allow revaluation to happen automatically - say, every 5 years. That would take the politics out of this, and give us a more stable and secure council tax system.

Just in case you think revaluation isn't possible, look at Wales - which revalued a couple of years ago. And Northern Ireland - which has just moved to annual revaluations, and where council tax is based on a percentage of house values - 0.78% to be precise.

Lyons' report next month will include a lot more than council tax - but that's going to be the headline. So get ready for the howls of protest - like these, in today's Daily Mail http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=413301&in_page_id=1770

The hard truth is that we need to get on with revaluation, once the next general election is out of the way. Better start saving up now.... 

      

Borough Market

If you live in London are a bit of a foodie, then you'll know all about Borough Market - very near London Bridge station. It's a festival of all things edible - from organic fruit and veg, to wild boar sausages and balsamic. I live quite nearby, and go there quite often - it is marvellous, but a bit too exclusive and pricey.

Anyway, Network Rail wants to upgrade the railway line that runs above the market, with a new super-viaduct. This will make a lot of people's journey to work a lot easier and quicker. But it will cause a lot of short-term disruption to the market, and the loss of 23 buildings (some listed). A local campaign is now underway, to try and stop the upgrade. See this http://www.sabmac.co.uk/

Which is more important? The preservation of London's oldest market, or the much-needed upgrade of part of London's rail network?

I'm a big fan of the Market, but the rail upgrade really does need to go ahead. The Market will change, but it won't disappear. At the end of the day, London's transport system is more important. 

   

Manchester v Birmingham

After winning the super-casino, Manchester looks set to take over from Birmingham as England's second city. See this debate on BBC Online: http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=5521&&&edition=1&ttl=20070211171447

Manchester's not as big as Birmingham, and may not even be performing as well. But perceptions count in this game - and Manchester's ahead. And when you factor in the whole of Greater Manchester, the story is even more compelling.

Manchester is becoming the classic turnaround city. First, the 1996 IRA bomb and transformation of the city centre. Then the 2002 Commonwealth Games and merged university. And now the super-casino and imminent BBC move to Salford.

Manchester's leadership is top-notch, with the partnership of Richard Leese and Howard Bernstein - surely one of the reasons it won the super-casino. The leadership across Greater Manchester is taking firmer shape, as the Association of Greater Manchester Authorites establishes itself more formally. And business leadership is effective too, with one of the strongest Chambers run by Angie Robinson.

We think Greater Manchester will be first in the queue for devolved, pooled funding streams after this year's Comprehensive Spending Review. Just reward for strong leadership.

Hello, Birmingham - are you there? 

Howard Bernstein

After last week's supercasino decision, see this piece from James WIlson in today's FT - with a quote from me...

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/c280473c-b32b-11db-99ca-0000779e2340.html

It profiles Manchester chief executive, Howard Bernstein, who - along with city leader Richard Leese - played a major part in securing the supercasino. This is a massive endorsement of their leadership.

Wilson also says that Howard and Richard have got the plot on city-regions. Because Manchester city council includes only a small slice of Greater Manchester, they have always had to work closely with their neighbours like Salford and Oldham. This is likely to pay off big time, with reports that the Treasury are seriously considering Greater Manchester's proposals for pooled funding arrangements across all 10 councils.

With the supercasino coming to East Manchester and the BBC moving to Salford, Greater Manchester is going from strength to strength. I bet other cities are just a tad jealous...