Borderlands: Rescaling economic development in Northern England in the context of greater Scottish autonomy

Abstract

This article argues that the space created by the clearing away of the English regional 'institutional architecture' after 2010 allows local authorities, in particular, to consider new flexible place-based approaches to economic development not possible under the old system. In this context, economic development activities, initiatives and alliances can now be developed to cover geographical areas that 'make sense', rather than being imposed or being chosen through habit: it is an opportunity to rescale or recalibrate traditional spatial approaches to place-based economic development. Here we discuss some implications of that, particularly how local authorities in the North East of England and Cumbria are responding -or could respond --to the potential granting of greater economic and fiscal powers to Scotland resulting from pressures for further devolution and the 2014 referendum on independence. We look at the emerging opportunities for collaborative approaches to cross-border economic development; this is an issue that is virtually absent from any contemporary studies of local economic development in the UK. Drawing upon recent research, the article outlines the case for a 'Borderlands' approach -which brings together the five local authority areas adjacent to the border -to develop joint approaches to economic development in areas such as transport, tourism, business development and superfast broadband. In addition to such cross-border alliances, we also point to opportunities to reinvigorate co-operation between the North East and Cumbria. The prospect of further autonomy for Scotland is stimulating a new interest in the North East, Cumbria and Scotland in working more collaboratively together, but the outcome of that (whatever the referendum result) may depend upon how the Anglo-Scottish border is perceived. We argue that it needs to be seen less as a barrier and more as an enabling mechanism which brings new opportunities for a relationship based on 'co-optition'.

Creating the north from the sum of its parts? Research questions to assess the Northern Powerhouse

“…Conversely, are there areas where the Northern Powerhouse exceeds current international best practice? Importantly, and given the argument that the Northern Powerhouse is centrally informed by the continuing debate over Scottish Independence (Shaw et al, 2014), this debate must continue to maintain a watching brief on events in Scotland. In particular, it is vital to understand the successes and failures of further Scottish devolution, and how those lessons can be transplanted into an English context.…”

“…Currently, these two closely interrelated but oft-distinct fields find themselves discussed in tandem as part of the Government's proposals for the city-scale devolution of powers away from Westminster and the creation of what has been dubbed 'The Northern Powerhouse' -an initiative that will see cities take control over a greater number of functions in exchange for installing new mechanisms for democratic governance (HM Treasury, 2014). This, as will be discussed later in this paper, can be argued as being influenced by, and even part of the ongoing narrative surrounding Scottish devolution and the movement for complete independence which has been described eloquently elsewhere (Henderson et al, 2015;McEwen and Petersohn, 2015;Tierney, 2015), and which has now come to influence the English cities and their relationship with Westminster (Paun and Munroe, 2014;Shaw et al, 2014) Yet while the developmental threads of localism can be clearly traced, from Conservative schemes such as City Challenge (Ying Ho, 2003), through New Labour's local government modernisation agenda (Downe and Martin, 2006) to the Coalition's Local Enterprise Partnerships (Pugalis, 2010(Pugalis, , 2011 the introduction of the North as a policy construct, although much vaunted, is more nebulous. That is not to say it is without precedent.…”

Brexit and Devolution: A View from ‘North of Tyne’ and the Anglo-Scottish ‘Borderlands’

“…On the 1st July, the key Government Ministers and Local Council leaders from both sides of the Border signed the Heads of Terms that sees the five councils add an additional £45m to the deal, taking the overall amount to £394.5m (GOV.UK, 2019). While the creation and development of the original Borderlands Partnership has been covered elsewhere, (see for example, Shaw et al, 2014). Development: Discussions between the main councils and relevant Government Departments on both sides of the border began in earnest following the 2013 publication of the Borderlands Report which indentified the common opportunities and challenges facing councils on both sides of the Border and articulated the case for using the independence debate to stimulate cross-border initiatives given the centralised polity and unbalanced economy dominated by London and the wider South East (ANEC, 2013).…”

Bringing the Anglo-Scottish Border “Back in”: Reassessing Cross-border Relations in the Context of Greater Scottish Autonomy

“…Hence, the independence debate has prompted organizations and individuals on both sides of the border to consider new, collaborative, cross-border approaches. Scotland's closest English neighbors are now "looking northwards" to assess how economic development in the North East can benefit from a stronger Scotland through enhanced crossborder collaboration (Shaw, Robinson, and Blackie 2014).…”