Centre for Cities

The Centre for Cities is an independent, non-partisan urban policy research unit. Its main goal is to understand how and why economic growth and change takes place in the United Kingdom's cities, and to help cities improve their economic performance.

The Centre for Cities was launched in March 2005. Its core funder is The Gatsby Foundation, one of the Sainsbury family charitable trusts; and its chair is Tom Bloxham MBE, chairman and founder of Urban Splash. The Centre's Director is Dermot Finch, formerly of HM Treasury. Following a start-up phase with IPPR, the Centre for Cities became fully independent in October 2007.

In its first phase, the Centre for Cities looked at city-centre housing and business investment in deprived areas. The organisation also focused on city leadership - looking at the role of city mayors and increased levels of devolution. More recently, the Centre for Cities has published research on city performance, urban transport, and the economic links between cities.

In 2008, the Centre for Cities is undertaking a programme of research focused on the economic drivers of urban success, looking at cities which have not yet realised their full economic potential and also cities dealing with the pressures of success - such as traffic congestion and skills and labour shortages.

The Centre also publishes periodic discussion papers, topics for which have included city transport in Leeds and trade links between London and other cities in the UK. Its annual flagship report is Cities Outlook, first published in December 2007 - a comprehensive survey of Britain's cities, looking back at their recent economic performance and forward to their prospects during 2008.

External links

*Centre for Cities website [http://www.centreforcities.org/home.php]
*Dermot Finch's blog [http://centreforcities.typepad.com/centre_for_cities/]
*Centre for Cities annual report - Cities Outlook [http://www.centreforcities.org/uploadedFiles/CitiesOutlook.pdf]