On Tuesday 27 February, Business West’s policy team attended a sold-out event held by Bristol Ideas and the University of Bath’s Institute for Policy Research at Bristol’s Watershed arts venue to learn about the current implementation of devolution in the UK from some of the country's top thought leaders. 

The panel, which included Professor Nick Pearce of Bath University’s Institute for Policy Research (Chairing); Professor Michael Kenny of Cambridge University’s Bennett Institute for Public Policy; Dr Hannah White from the Institute for Government, Zoe Billingham from IPPR North, and Mayor Marvin Rees of Bristol City Council, discussed the implications of devolution for our region.  

1. Devolution can be beneficial but complex: All the speakers spoke about the potential beneficial impacts of raising local voices and needs, tailoring supports to the local economy and labour market, and creating a system where it can be easier for institutions to innovate and collaborate at an appropriate scale. However, they also highlighted the complexities involved, such as the need for legal protections around their statutory footing and decision-making abilities, adequate resourcing, and an understanding of different regional needs. 
2. Need for improved governance and accountability: Both Dr Hannah White and Prof Michael Kenny stressed the importance of strengthening governance and accountability in devolved authorities, with Dr White specifically highlighting that scrutiny of combined authorities is currently under-resourced and not transparent enough. 
3. Importance of understanding history and context: Michael Kenny highlighted the need to understand the country's history to fully comprehend how the United Kingdom and England have evolved and have been governed, while Mayor Marvin Rees discussed the specific challenges faced by Bristol as a city surrounded by more suburban and rural local authorities.
4. Collaboration and partnership between local and central government: Zoe Billingham emphasised the need to formalise the relationship between Mayors and central government, while Marvin Rees called for a partnership where sometimes the national government follows the local government's lead and vice versa, each supporting the other with resourcing and mutual consent. 
5. The role of resources in devolution: Mayor Marvin Rees argued that devolution without adequate resources is meaningless, Rees highlighted how a significant portion of Bristol's budget is consumed by demand-led services, leaving only a small percentage for more transformative initiatives that can improve the state of the city and beyond. 

Business West have joined forces with the Growing Together Alliance to call upon the next government to support long term initiatives that help our regional economy to be healthy and for businesses to thrive locally. Greater devolution in areas such as housing, jobs and infrastructure, and skills, alongside appropriate resourcing, and a collaborative and constructive devolved culture, will help make this region a better place to live, learn and work.  

You can hear more about our plans at the Festival of Flourishing Regions on 18 April 2024, 12:30 — 17:00 at Watershed: https://www.bristolideas.co.uk/attend/how-do-we-build-flourishing-regions/