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IED Director, and past Chair, Bev Hurley CBE has had a paper published in the latest issue of the Journal of Urban Regeneration and Renewal.

The paper, headlined, Time for change: How we can address deep, structural inequalities in our society through locally led economic development, explores what needs to be done to better address the growing and substantial inequalities in the UK and how the ‘Levelling Up’ policy that seeks to address them could be improved. It argues that a much longer-term vision and a sharper, cross-government focus on fewer challenges is required to make a more tangible impact. 

Four key findings are identified: a focus on health and education is fundamental for our social and economic prosperity; there is a need for greater devolution of power, with transparent and robust accountability; an open, nationwide knowledge base to share what works and what does not, and the lessons learned from innovative pilots, is required; and a more holistic approach is needed to support businesses and provide them with better-quality support. 

This paper argues that without these issues being taken into consideration, the lives and wellbeing of our disadvantaged citizens, our children and our economy will continue to worsen. It concludes that making economic development a statutory function, putting it at the very heart of our public services, is needed to ensure that the levelling up outcome is achieved.

The Journal is the essential peer-reviewed journal for all researchers and professionals concerned with physical, economic and social regeneration of urban communities. In addition to research studies, it publishes in-depth articles and real world case studies on the latest strategy, policy making and current and best practice in the field.