#LearningFromCrisis Connections Ep. 1: How should government work together for economic recovery?

<p>This episode kicks off our Learning from Crisis "Connections" series, where we explore how the pandemic is changing our relationship to shared space, community engagement, negotiation, connectivity and culture.</p> <p>Interview with:<br> <strong>Barbara Brownlee</strong>, Executive Director of Growth, Planning &amp; Housing, Westminster City Council<br> <strong>Professor Tony Travers</strong>, London School of Economics</p> <p>Host:<br> <strong>Lisa Taylor</strong>, Executive Director, Future of London / Director, Coherent Cities</p> <p><strong>Take aways</strong></p> <ul> <li>Treasury needs councils to avoid financial crisis, partly for economic recovery but also because local authorities are best placed for testing and managing all aspects of Covid response and relationships on the ground. Further, as Brownlee pointed out, being forced into a Section 114 budget-balancing exercise by these extraordinary Covid-19 costs would mean harsh cuts and no room for flexibility or collaboration. Despite increasing bluster, Travers says we can expect MHCLG to do its best to help keep boroughs afloat.</li> <li>Watch for councils, property companies and partners to start referring to all that vacant office space as “new” commercial or mixed-use space (Travers credits Arup’s <a href="https://www.arup.com/our-firm/alexander-jan">Alex Jan</a> with this reframing). Where landlords are amenable and planning authorities can flex, this could be a great way to bring fresh energy to town and city centres as smaller/newer/consortium organisations start to afford cheaper floor space.</li> <li>Brownlee does represent a central London authority, but both make the case for not abandoning central cities (in the UK or elsewhere) in favour of sprawl. They also point out that large, historic landlords in city centres, like London’s <a href="https://newlondonarchitecture.org/whats-on/publications/all-nla-publications/great-estates">Great Estates</a>, have the patience – and patient capital – to make sound decisions, “viewing this as a 20