This document summarizes key discussions from a Joseph Rowntree Foundation conference on delivering inclusive growth in UK cities. Speakers discussed how cities can lead the inclusive growth agenda, highlighting the importance of measuring broader outcomes like health, skills and work-life balance beyond just economic metrics. Cities were urged to unleash their powers of innovation and inspiration to ensure all residents can benefit from growth, not just a select few. Working across sectors including businesses, cities were given as examples of taking action to boost opportunities for residents through initiatives like support for entrepreneurs.

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How can cities deliver inclusive growth?
#inclusivegrowth
Key messages and lessons for UK cities from our international conference
sharing innovative policies and practice

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The inclusive growth agenda
has real momentum.
Cities have a massively
important role if we are
to create a global Britain
the current government
wants us to have.
Campbell Robb
Chief Executive
Joseph Rowntree Foundation

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We know the implications
of not doing this right are
terrible: we see divided
communities, we see
communities failing, we
see people truly excluded
from the political process.
There is a heavy price to
pay for not doing this.
Campbell Robb
Chief Executive
Joseph Rowntree Foundation

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We at JRF absolutely
believe inclusive growth is
something that can happen.
It’s a huge agenda with
much to do. Cities can be
at the vanguard of creating
a new economic growth in
this country.
Campbell Robb
Chief Executive
Joseph Rowntree Foundation

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I think we’re going to have
a burst of innovation called
the ‘new localism’.
Devolution is going to be
crucial to Britain’s future
growth, particularly after
Brexit.
Bruce Katz
Inaugural Centennial Scholar
Brookings Institution, USA

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Cities in the US are not
waiting for the national
government, they’re getting
on and creating opportunities
for inclusive growth…
After Brexit the UK needs
to unleash the power of
its cities.
Bruce Katz
Inaugural Centennial Scholar
Brookings Institution, USA

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Stephanie Hyde
UK Head of Regions and Global Entrepreneurial & Private Business Leader, PwC
Bruce Katz
Inaugural Centennial Scholar, Brookings Institution, USA
Cllr Frank McAveety
Leader, Glasgow City Council
Marissa Plouin
Co-ordinator of the OECD Champion Mayors for Inclusive Growth initiative OECD Centre
for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Local Development and Tourism
Josh Stott
Head of Policy and Research, Joseph Rowntree Foundation
Panel discussion:

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Good growth is not just
about economic growth, it’s
about health, skills, work-life
balance and transportation.
We believe the private
sector has a critical role
to play in enabling
inclusive growth.
Stephanie Hyde
UK Head of Regions and Global
Entrepreneurial & Private Business Leader
PwC

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We have 13.5 million people
living in poverty, the
attainment gap opens
by age five and five million
adults are without basic
skills. The staggering cost
of poverty is £78 billion
a year. This is why we need
more inclusive growth.
Josh Stott
Head of Policy and Research
Joseph Rowntree Foundation

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Cities can take a lead role
in making an inclusive
growth agenda happen.
They need to redefine how
they measure success, they
need to adopt new metrics
to see who’s benefiting
from growth.”
“Metro Mayors and city
leaders need to put to
use their soft powers,
they need to inspire action,
and lead by doing.
Josh Stott
Head of Policy and Research
Joseph Rowntree Foundation

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Political leadership can come
and go. How do we build
foundations in a city that
irrespective of ideology
is driving the change that
makes a real difference?
Cllr Frank McAveety
Leader
Glasgow City Council

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Chair: Alex Jones
Chief Executive, Centre for Cities
Gregory E Fischer
Mayor of Louisville, Kentucky, USA
Kersten England
Chief Executive, City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council
Mathew Jackson
Deputy Chief Executive, Centre for Local Economic Strategies
Javed Khan
Chief Executive, Barnardo’s
Making inclusive growth happen

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Many places are already
taking action to make
components of inclusive
growth a reality. There is
no denying the importance
of central government,
clearly they have a really
important role, but there
is much that places can do
and already are doing to
make change happen.
Alex Jones
Chief Executive
Centre for Cities

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Kentucky is too small when
you have the two top cities
fighting each other. Let’s
change that narrative where
Louisville and Lexington
form a strategic alliance and
create a regional economy…
Gregory E Fischer
Mayor of Louisville
Kentucky, USA

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We have about 100,000
advanced manufacturing
jobs between our two
cities… and we have halted a
30 year decline in our
median wage.
Gregory E Fischer
Mayor of Louisville
Kentucky, USA

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When RDA (Regional
Development Agency)
money went we created a
city growth zone that gave
hundreds of young
entrepreneurs, access to
soft loans and free and
discounted business rates
for a period of time.
Kirsten England
Chief Executive
City of Bradford Metropolitan District
Council

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Chair: Greg Clarke
Global Adviser on City Development and Investment
Charlotte Alldritt
Director of Public Services and Communities, RSA
Bruce Katz
Inaugural Centennial Scholar, Brookings Institution, USA
Sir Charlie Mayfield
Chairman, John Lewis Partnership
Taking the inclusive growth agenda forward

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A lot of the goals of
inclusive growth depend on
the effective engagement
of businesses. They can play
a key role in supporting that
in cities.
Productivity is the fuel that
is essential for sustained
growth in wages, in
competitiveness which
are essential for inclusive
growth.
Sir Charlie Mayfield
Chairman
John Lewis Partnership

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The solutions lie in simple
things like leadership,
management and good
practices which are common
place in the best led
businesses. What we’re
asking businesses engaged
in this agenda is, ‘how good
is your business, really?’
Sir Charlie Mayfield
Chairman
John Lewis Partnership

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Cities are on their own.
Over the next few years,
they have to use whatever
resource and tools and
position they have to push
towards inclusive growth.
I believe we will see a burst
of innovation around policy,
strategy, finance, institutions
– that we can all learn from.
Bruce Katz
Inaugural Centennial Scholar
Brookings Institution, USA

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If we’re going to achieve
inclusive growth, it has to
start with our cities and the
time is now. The one word
inclusive growth speaks to is
community: it’s about pride
of place, about belonging, a
sense of worth, being valued
– in your job, in society.
How will we know when
we’ve got there?
We’ll be able to feel it.
Charlotte Alldritt
Director of Public Services
and Communities
RSA

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JRF is working alongside UK cities to make inclusive growth a reality
To find out how to take this forward in your area
contact JRF’s Partnerships Manager (Cities): Mike Hawking
mike.hawking@jrf.org.uk
To view more of our research on inclusive growth visit:
www.jrf.org.uk/cities-towns-and-neighbourhoods/inclusive-growth