The future role of local government in strengthening local economies

The discussion at the event was focused around the following themes: governance issues; the assumptions upon which economic strategies are based; and the potential barriers to local authorities engendering effective economic development. Whilst CLES and Localis led the debate, the arguments raised in this paper reflect the attendees’ contributions and do not necessarily reflect the views of either organisation. The aim of this Local Work is to relay the debate that emerged from the event and ‘open the door’ o a discussion on how local authorities in the future can shape the economic destiny of their local areas.