A CASE FOR CITIES

In Local Government Reorganisation and English Devolution

Cities are being held back – now is the time to let them grow

Cities are England’s growth engines, but too many are still governed by outdated boundaries defined a generation ago.

This report sets out a practical plan to right-size city governance, embed prevention into public services, and create a connected network of high-performing cities that drives national prosperity. It’s a time-limited opportunity created by Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) and the new wave of devolution. We argue for decisive action now - before the window closes.

A coalition of fast growing cities of national significance

The Case for Cities report was prepared on behalf of the cities of Peterborough, Lincoln, Reading, Gloucester, Oxford, Norwich, Swindon, Exeter, Ipswich, and Cambridge.

Download the full report here

The untapped potential of English cities

Harnessing the opportunities of population growth, while closing the productivity gap through the right powers, governance and geographies, is critical if cities are to realise their full potential as drivers of national prosperity.

The data shows that cities in England have untapped potential when we compare them to international averages and perform unevenly when compared to national benchmarks. Some cities — from Ipswich to Swindon — perform strongly on productivity, most English cities fall well below international peers. Patterns of population growth are also varied: Cambridge, for example, grew by over 17% between 2013 and 2023, compared with 7% nationally and 6% in London.

Local government reorganisation and devolution represent a unique chance to address the barriers to urban growth and unlock potential for cities across England

GVA per hourworked: ICC Strategic Place Index, 2025 informed by ONS, UK small area gross value added estimates, 2022.
Population: ONS, Estimates of the population for the UK, England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, 2024
International comparators: OECD Productivity levels, Gross Domestic Product per Hour Worked, 2023 (using average 2023 US/GBP conversion rate)