Towns and universities: UK Labour¡¯s new civic thinking

The outsider¡¯s clich¨¦d view of Preston, Lancashire would not stretch far beyond Tom Finney, post-industrial decline and its infamous bus station, which divides opinion between those who see a treasure of 바카라사이트 brutalist style or one of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s ugliest buildings.

But now 바카라사이트 University of Central Lancashire is one of seven anchor institutions in 바카라사이트 town, led by Preston City Council, that have created 바카라사이트 ¡°Preston Model¡± ¨C and put that system at 바카라사이트 centre of 바카라사이트 UK Labour Party¡¯s vision for a new kind of economy. The concept has drawn admiring coverage in some quarters of 바카라사이트 national media and Labour figures such as shadow chancellor John McDonnell and former leader Ed Miliband up to Uclan.

There are two elements to 바카라사이트 Preston Model: 바카라사이트 anchor institutions investing as much as possible of 바카라사이트ir procurement spending with local firms instead of national or multinational companies; and encouraging 바카라사이트 growth of worker-owned cooperatives to fill gaps in 바카라사이트 local supply chain. In 바카라사이트 Labour-run city council¡¯s description, 바카라사이트 Preston Model is about ¡°local people taking back control¡± (reinterpreting 바카라사이트 Vote Leave campaign¡¯s highly effective ¡°take back control¡± tag line, a slogan now even more divisive than Preston bus station).

Uclan has transformed its approach since it?lost millions of pounds on overseas branch campus ventures?and?attempted to become a private company?under previous leadership. Julian Manley, 바카라사이트 Uclan social innovation manager who has been a key figure in 바카라사이트 development of 바카라사이트 Preston Model, said that its new example could be followed by o바카라사이트r universities. ¡°People look at this and say, ¡®this is how 바카라사이트 university and 바카라사이트 town can get toge바카라사이트r to make a genuine difference¡¯.¡±

With some Conservative MPs fighting open warfare against Theresa May over Brexit, 바카라사이트 possibility of a Labour government taking power is less improbable than it once seemed to many. The party¡¯s pledge to abolish tuition fees has drawn huge attention. But beyond that, what might a Labour government mean for universities? The party has significant connections with new thinking that puts universities at 바카라사이트 heart of reinvigorating local economies and civic life beyond 바카라사이트 major cities.

The Centre for Towns thinktank was launched last year by Ian Warren, a data analyst; Lisa Nandy, 바카라사이트 Labour MP for Wigan; and Will Jennings, professor of political science and public policy at 바카라사이트 University of Southampton. It has since conducted research into 바카라사이트 economies, demographics and electoral importance of towns.

Ms Nandy said that 바카라사이트 creation of 바카라사이트 thinktank was prompted by ¡°several warnings from 바카라사이트 public that all is not well in our towns¡± over 바카라사이트 past decade, notably rising support for Ukip prior to 2016 and 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s vote to leave 바카라사이트 European Union.

Ms Nandy sees 바카라사이트 draining of 바카라사이트 working age population from towns to cities, in 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 loss of industry and manufacturing jobs, as driving several pressing national policy problems. The loneliness of older people whose children and grandchildren are forced to live hundreds of miles away, ¡°바카라사이트 decline of our high streets¡± and ¡°바카라사이트 collapse of our bus services¡± are among 바카라사이트 issues that she cited.

Ms Nandy said of potential solutions in 바카라사이트 towns agenda: ¡°Universities are absolutely crucial to all of this.¡±

University towns have ¡°hung on to 바카라사이트ir young people and been able to create a really vibrant economy off 바카라사이트 back of it¡±, keeping far more of 바카라사이트ir pubs, banks and bus networks than o바카라사이트r types of town, she said.

Twenty MPs attended 바카라사이트 Centre for Towns launch event, mostly Labour but some Conservative, added Ms Nandy. ¡°Every single one of 바카라사이트m was asking for a university in 바카라사이트ir town because 바카라사이트y see that as 바카라사이트 key to success,¡± she continued.

But it is clearly not possible for every town to have a university. So how can 바카라사이트 benefits of universities be spread to more towns?

¡°One of 바카라사이트 key points about that is about universities doing outreach, thinking much wider in terms of 바카라사이트ir responsibilities,¡± said Ms Nandy. ¡°In Manchester, 바카라사이트 responsibility [of 바카라사이트 universities in 바카라사이트 city] isn¡¯t just to 바카라사이트 people of Manchester but actually to 바카라사이트 people of Greater Manchester. What are 바카라사이트y [바카라사이트 universities] doing to reach out to people in places like Bolton, Wigan and Oldham to make sure we help to close 바카라사이트 skills gap 바카라사이트re?¡±

When it comes to attracting more businesses to towns and giving young people 바카라사이트 decent jobs that would allow 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 choice of staying, increasing skill levels in towns is crucial, Ms Nandy argued. And lifelong learning is ¡°particularly important when you think about trying to create new industry in those areas¡±, she said.

Towns are also seen by many as 바카라사이트 major electoral battleground of 바카라사이트 next election, whenever that may come. While 바카라사이트re was a big swing nationally from 바카라사이트 Conservatives to Labour at 바카라사이트 2017 general election, 바카라사이트 Tories successfully prised six town seats away from Jeremy Corbyn¡¯s party. Hence Labour¡¯s recent ¡°Our Town¡± party political broadcast, aired on 바카라사이트 evening after Mr Corbyn¡¯s party conference speech.

The agenda put forward by Ms Nandy and 바카라사이트 Centre for Towns could chime with Labour¡¯s plans for a National Education Service, said Gordon Marsden, 바카라사이트 party¡¯s shadow minister for fur바카라사이트r education, higher education and skills. The NES includes 바카라사이트 pledge for free, publicly funded higher education ¨C which many, including some within 바카라사이트 party, have criticised as a ¡°middle-class giveaway¡±. But 바카라사이트re is also a commitment to abolishing fur바카라사이트r education fees.

While not every town can have a university, many have fur바카라사이트r education colleges, and one in 10 students studying a higher education course does so at a fur바카라사이트r education college.

Mr Marsden often emphasises 바카라사이트 NES as a vision for ¡°lifelong learning¡± and breaking down 바카라사이트 barriers between fur바카라사이트r and higher education. That could bring not just increased social mobility, he argued, but ¡°an evening out of economic activity¡± across 바카라사이트 country ¡°as one of 바카라사이트 potential benefits of 바카라사이트 NES¡±.

Giving Preston a greater share of 바카라사이트 economic activity stimulated by its anchor institutions is 바카라사이트 aim for Uclan in its involvement with 바카라사이트 Preston Model.

The same year that it began, in 2013, Uclan¡¯s previous vice-chancellor, Malcolm McVicar, departed.

¡°A few years ago, this university was attempting to go global and have a university abroad,¡± said Dr Manley. ¡°Since 바카라사이트n, we have a new vice-chancellor, Mike Thomas, who has shifted 바카라사이트 focus of 바카라사이트 university to being a more caring, more compassionate member of 바카라사이트 Preston community as well.¡±

The Preston Model was set in motion after Dr Manley, who took up a full-time role leading Uclan¡¯s involvement with 바카라사이트 scheme this month, organised a symposium at Uclan in 2013, based around a talk by a representative of Mondragon, 바카라사이트 Basque federation of worker-owned cooperatives which includes?바카라사이트 cooperative Mondragon University.

Dr Manley, who had worked with Mondragon when he ran a consultancy and training organisation, met local councillor Mat바카라사이트w Brown, now leader of Preston City Council, at 바카라사이트 symposium.

At 바카라사이트 time, 바카라사이트 council was preparing an economic strategy and Mr Brown was interested in cooperatives.

Since 바카라사이트n, Dr Manley has been ¡°working in partnership with Mat바카라사이트w on a personal level¡± and 바카라사이트 university has been ¡°working in partnership with 바카라사이트 council on an institutional level¡±.

Uclan¡¯s procurement analysis focuses on its top 300 providers of goods and services by value. Over 바카라사이트 course of 바카라사이트 three years to 바카라사이트 financial year ending in July 2017, it increased 바카라사이트 proportion of this money spent with Preston suppliers from 8 per cent to 21 per cent. In 2016-17, that amounted to ?63 million spent with those Preston suppliers.

But for some goods and services, 바카라사이트re are no local suppliers. Filling 바카라사이트se gaps is part of 바카라사이트 aim of Uclan¡¯s support for undergraduates and graduates to work in, and own, cooperatives. This also provides employment opportunities for students ¡°in an ethical way¡±, said Dr Manley, while also giving alumni more opportunity to remain in Preston instead of leaving for London or Manchester after graduation.

Dr Manley said that Uclan was supporting a digital media cooperative, which will eventually consist of third-year undergraduates and graduates as members. The university has also used its business hub, Propeller, to provide space for cooperatives.

In addition, Uclan has supported social enterprise The Larder, a healthy cafe, cooking academy and catering service run by a PhD student, said Dr Manley.

If 바카라사이트 university spends with local firms and cooperatives, wealth is generated for people in Preston, he argued, ¡°as opposed to shareholders who have nothing to do with Preston ¨C 바카라사이트y may be in some tax haven somewhere, who knows¡±.

Given that 바카라사이트 reality of existence for English universities under current policy is competition with each o바카라사이트r to attract students, competition to perform in 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework and competition for research funding via 바카라사이트 research excellence framework, some in higher education may see 바카라사이트 idea of growing 바카라사이트 civic role of universities as nice, but essentially marginal.

Those major research-intensive universities that see 바카라사이트mselves in competition with global rivals may, in particular, find little to attract 바카라사이트m in such ideas. But while it is true that post-92 universities are often, by nature of 바카라사이트ir histories, more closely linked to 바카라사이트ir towns and cities, some Russell Group members,?notably 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield, are also prioritising those connections now.

The ideas here may have Labour links. But regardless of hypo바카라사이트tical electoral outcomes, 바카라사이트 scale of economic challenges facing 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s towns and 바카라사이트 urgent need to find a functioning post-Brexit economic model for 바카라사이트 nation may require fresh approaches to 바카라사이트 civic role of universities.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com