The Evolution of Devolution - Leveraging technology for economic growth

With some time to think over the summer about the May UK REiiF event in Leeds, I wanted to offer a few reflections on some key themes. There wasn’t much technology representation at the event, however there was a really good attendance from local authorities, developers, design engineers and investors alike – a perfect mix of public/private sector collaboration for those of us interested in ‘place’. As the UK strives to be a science, innovation and technology superpower by 2030, there is much that we can collectively do to leverage technology for economic growth - whether that be from a private sector or public sector perspective.

The Evolution of Devolution

The trailblazer devolution deals for Greater Manchester and the West Midlands were very prominent with both Combined Authorities keen to share their journey for the benefit of others to follow. Both Mayors were present at the event and it’s often struck me that both Andy Burnham and Andy Street offer a place-first rather than party-first approach to leadership which is refreshing and surprisingly aligned in a way that a reverse strategy may not be.

Having worked for the London Development Agency at an early stage of the London Mayoralty which celebrated its 20th birthday in 2020, the presence of a couple of ex-colleagues from that time reminded me that the devolution journey for UK cities has been slow to follow but is an evolution of that original model. From capital city devolution across Greater London to more recent City Combined Authorities and onto the first County Combined Authority proposed by the East Midlands, the UK is finding its own way to piece together the jigsaw of adjacent regions for economies of scale and agglomeration benefits.

The devolved agenda is often seen as being about sentiment and confidence in a region as well as the funding -?a pot of Government money to attract private sector investment – and that has been successfully played out. However, I was invited to speak on an interesting panel chaired by Arcadis, from which ensued a conversation about the thriving life sciences sector in Hertfordshire with the leader of Stevenage. On reflection, an opposite approach - which has focussed on private sector investment for the life sciences corridor - seems to have worked in terms of attracting multi-million pound public sector investment to Stevenage through the Towns Fund.

Not every city can be a Silicon Valley

When we talk about technology in terms of economic growth, there are often comparisons with the US and the start-up culture there. While London, Greater Manchester and the West Midlands all have thriving tech sectors, not everywhere in the UK has the ingredients to be the next Silicon Valley. However, that doesn’t negate the fact that with the rapid digitisation of every sector, there is an increasing demand for tech talent proving elusive to attract. Microsoft have committed to helping to address this skills gap in both the West Midlands and Greater Manchester.

The UK has long held an approach to Industrial Strategy and although continually evolving through the Local Economic Partnerships and into the devolved agenda it has always had a strong sector focus. From media in Salford that has spawned into a thriving gaming sector, through the industrial heritage of manufacturing in the Midlands to life sciences in the ‘golden triangle’ of London, Cambridge and Oxford, industry has been nurtured in many of the regions. As each sector becomes increasingly digital in its own right, it’s not just technology professionals that are needed. Increasingly, we are seeing employees from outside of the IT department becoming knowledgeable and skilled with technology tools. In parallel, developer tools have been democratised and with the emergence of the ‘low code no code’ movement, employees from every department are competently using sophisticated technology to increase their own and colleagues productivity.

More generally, as hybrid work starts to become more evolved for knowledge workers, a reshaping of the geography of work is already creating opportunities across the UK. As technology develops we are at dawn of a platform shift to AI this will also transform the way people work. The recent annual Microsoft Work Trend Index talks to ways in which an AI-infused workplace may spark innovation and productivity.

Summary

As UK cities and regions start to take more control of their economic futures, while a couple may become classic technology hubs most will specialise in other industries more native to their region. As the geography of work starts to change and each sector undergoes its own digital transformation, every worker can leverage technology in their daily tasks to become more productive and to focus on tasks that matter to them.

To find out more about generalised work trends please download our Microsoft Work Trend Index .

To carry on the discussion, please reach out to me or my Local and Regional Government colleagues on LinkedIn.