City council leader to lecture on North West devolution at Lancaster Uni

A City Council leader will be holding a lecture on North West devolution at Lancaster University.

Preston Labour councillor Matthew Brown will deliver the lecture at 12:00pm – 1:30pm on Wednesday 11th February in Management School LT15.

The event, which is a part of a wider series of local authority sessions, will concern Matthew Brown’s views upon the future of the region and his “Preston model” for regional development.

Devolution is the dispersal of governmental powers to regional authorities. Examples include: the Scottish Parliament, the Northern Ireland Assembly, the Metro Mayoral system, and Local Authorities.

Contemporary debates around future English devolution concerns the proportionality of devolution across the country, the election of more Mayors for regions, and which and where political powers should lie.

Preston council leader Matthew Brown’s lecture will cover these issues, as well as looking at his own “Preston model” for regional development. The Preston model is a development approach that encourages wealth kept within the regional community by getting councils, universities, and other public institutions to spend money with local businesses. The model also backs issues such as fair pay and community ownership ensuring that economic benefits remain in the local area.

According to the Preston City Council website, the model’s implementation has been shared across a range of Preston based institutions, such as: the Lancashire County Council, University of Central Lancashire, and the Lancashire Constabulary.

The lecture is a part of a series of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) sessions at the university. The sessions “bolsters the knowledge and skills of councillors and council staff”. The series is a new initiative for Lancaster University School of Global Affairs.

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Dr Martin Steven, the discipline lead for politics in the School of Global Affairs said, “We are delighted that Councillor Brown has agreed to give the lecture and we look forward to hearing his views on the future of the region – in particular, his pioneering ‘Preston model’ for regional development.”

The event is free to attend and is open to all, but those wanting to attend are asked to email [email protected] to reserve their place. There will be complimentary tea and coffee.

The event will take place at 12:00pm – 1:30pm on Wednesday 11th February in Management School LT15.

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Featured image via @preston_labour_party on Instagram.