You are not alone

The revival of Britain’s cities has been a signature achievement of the last 10 years, and the leading example of that revival has been Manchester.

The key to Manchester’s success has been its combination of economic clout and strong, stable leadership. Not every town and city can be like Manchester. Some of its success factors are difficult to transfer – most notably, the Leese-Bernstein double act and the series of one-off events that have characterised the city’s transformation. But other towns and cities can learn from Manchester’s smart approach to cross-boundary collaboration.

Strong and consistent city leadership has been key to Manchester’s success. Together, Leese and Bernstein have steered Manchester’s turnaround over the past decade. Their first-rate track record of delivery was just one of the reasons why Manchester won in its bid to host the country’s first supercasino. Other leaders can claim the credit, too – especially previous council leader Graham Stringer, who laid the foundations for today’s success by pushing ahead with the city-centre regeneration in the late 1980s.

Strong leadership is difficult to replicate, especially in other cities where party politics are more volatile. Armed with a strong Labour majority, Richard Leese has been able to develop a long-term, strategic vision for the city.

One way for other cities to replicate this strong leadership is through directly elected mayors. Last year’s local government white paper included plans for more directly elected mayors, but they were optional and did not go far enough. Michael Heseltine’s proposals for city mayors with real financial powers go much further, and closely mirror the Centre for Cities’ own proposals. Manchester may not need an elected mayor, but some other cities would certainly benefit from one.

One of Manchester’s main achievements in recent years has been its close collaboration with its nine neighbouring councils, through the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities. The city has maximised its economic impact by effectively building a bigger Greater Manchester brand. The Manchester city region is now an increasingly attractive location for international companies such as the Bank of New York. Manchester Airport is the biggest outside the Greater South-east, and the university the biggest single-site university in Britain. Coming up, the BBC’s move to Salford is set to be the latest chapter in Greater Manchester’s success story.

Cross-boundary collaboration is critical to the future economic success of all our towns and cities. Leeds, Newcastle, Liverpool and others will do better by working together with their neighbours, than by working alone. Smaller cities and towns will find it hard to achieve their potential entirely on their own. Greater Manchester has shown others the way forward.