Oscar Selby @oscarselby.bsky.social · 16/09/2026Fiscal devolution for mayors: the government have announced it, here is how to do it: 1. Switch mayor's Integrated Settlements (grants) to a share of income and corporation tax - where 90% of funding is income tax and 10% is corporation tax. 163
Oscar Selby @oscarselby.bsky.social · 31/07/2026The Prime Minister plans to 'rewire the state' and give more power to councils and mayors, who are better placed to deliver locally catered economic policy. Income tax sharing to mayors will be key to this. The UK is the most fiscally centralised country in the G7, holding back wages and growth. 243
Oscar Selby @oscarselby.bsky.social · 16/07/2026London sends £49 billion to the rest of the country every year. But the mayor lacks the fiscal powers to drive the growth that funds this. Bringing tax raising powers in line with G7 cities would help it build the homes and transport infrastructure its economy needs. Full briefing: lnkd.in/eXVKsrs5 000
Oscar Selby @oscarselby.bsky.social · 29/06/2026Andy Burnham wants to take "power out of the centre and put it in the hands of the people who can use it best". Guaranteeing mayor's a share of the tax generated in their area will be key to making this happen. Check out Centre for Cities new briefing for more detail: tinyurl.com/yjvpd7rb 135
Reposted by Oscar SelbyMark Byrne @markobroin.bsky.social · 23/06/2026Fiscal devo is gonna get some attention 👀 What does it mean, who is it for and how might it work? Here's a brilliant conversation on all that, from my colleagues @antbreach.bsky.social, @oscarselby.bsky.social and @andrewcities.bsky.social. www.centreforcities.org/podcast/city... 014
Oscar Selby @oscarselby.bsky.social · 15/04/2026Tradeable jobs in logistics and manufacturing have supported access to work in Wakefield. But the geography and low wages of these jobs limit their benefit to city centre retailers. So the council are regenerating central Wakefield to attract in residents and businesses. tinyurl.com/mtua5b5atinyurl.comTradeable jobs and city centre regeneration: lessons from Wakefield - Centre for CitiesWhat Wakefield’s logistics-led growth means for wages, footfall and plans for city-centre regeneration. 000
Reposted by Oscar SelbyMaurice Lange @mauricelange.bsky.social · 04/02/2026NEW REPORT out today. TLDR: Rules-based planning works and we can introduce it in British cities relatively easily. A small thread on Croydon’s 3-year planning ‘experiment’ and what it means for urban planning… 1149
Reposted by Oscar SelbyCentre for Cities @centreforcities.bsky.social · 26/01/2026Cities sit at the heart of the UK economy. Cities Outlook 2026 looks at what that means for growth and household living standards ▶️ 045
Reposted by Oscar SelbyCentre for Cities @centreforcities.bsky.social · 04/12/2025NEW PODCAST 🎙️ @andrewcities.bsky.social is joined by Researcher @oscarselby.bsky.social to explore why London’s suburban high streets are doing better than many of the UK’s high streets and city centres. Listen to the podcast 🎧👇 buff.ly/9G60fFs 034
Oscar Selby @oscarselby.bsky.social · 05/12/2025The high street isn't doomed - just look at London! Unlike some city centre's across the country London does not have an empty shops crisis, this is particularly true in its suburbs. Its incomes - not business rates or online shopping - that explain why. See the full report: tinyurl.com/yc8yxkp6 021
Oscar Selby @oscarselby.bsky.social · 03/12/2025Glasgow city region needs a Mayor! The eight local authorities in the region function as one cohesive labour market with Glasgow at its core. Aligning local powers with economic geography would help the city address its £7.3bn-a-year underperformance. Check out the briefing: tinyurl.com/54ydrrj3centreforcities.orgLet devolution flourish: How Glasgow spreads prosperity and why the City Region needs devolution - Centre for CitiesGlasgow is the only large city in the UK without devolution to a combined authority - it is up to the Scottish Government to deliver this. 010
Oscar Selby @oscarselby.bsky.social · 10/07/2025By analysing millions of card transactons we investigated why some UK high streets are succeeding while others are struggling. Full report: tinyurl.com/msawaxz7 We found that high streets are a symptom of economic decline not a cause: there are more empty shops where incomes are lowest. 111
Reposted by Oscar SelbyCentre for Cities @centreforcities.bsky.social · 29/04/2025BRIEFING | The myth of “left behind” ❓How should government respond to the political discontent signalled by the vote to leave the European Union and the more recent rise of Reform UK? buff.ly/g8K7EDQ 👇 1398
Oscar Selby @oscarselby.bsky.social · 15/04/2025Peak time central London tube station tap out data indicates that the return-to-the-office has plateaued at 75% of pre covid levels, with the West end furthest behind. Check out the full blog here: www.centreforcities.org/blog/tube-da... 010
Oscar Selby @oscarselby.bsky.social · 20/01/2025In this year's Cities Outlook we explore what drives regional wage inequality and show how the strength of a city's tradable sectors determines economic prosperity. To read more and explore how UK cities have fared over the last year check out the report: www.centreforcities.org/publication/... 020
Oscar Selby @oscarselby.bsky.social · 16/01/2025When ULEZ was expanded back in 2023 some argued the policy would serve another blow to struggling high streets by prevent people going out to spend. Using credit card transaction data, my recent blog for Centre for Cities reveals this was not the case. www.centreforcities.org/blog/ulez-ex...centreforcities.orgULEZ expansion hasn’t hurt high street spending - Centre for CitiesLarge scale credit card transaction data shows that the expansion of ULEZ in 2023 did not reduce demand for high street goods and services. 000
Reposted by Oscar SelbyMaurice Lange @mauricelange.bsky.social · 03/12/2024We don’t build very many public houses anymore. Want to find out what was going on when we did? Lessons from the last 80 years of public housebuilding – the highs and the lows – are out in my new report with @xuanrulin.bsky.social for @centreforcities.bsky.social 11313
Reposted by Oscar SelbyRob Johnson @rjson.bsky.social · 28/11/2024If (like me) this is your idea of fun, find this tool at the end this latest blog on visitor spend clusters by my colleague @oscarselby.bsky.social and have a play around! Also a good read on the concentration of visitor spend and its implications if tourist levies are to be enacted in Englandcentreforcities.orgWhere visitor spend clusters within UK cities - Centre for CitiesVisitor spend is mostly in city centres. Understanding this fact, in combination with the few exceptions to this rule, will be key in the ongoing debate over tourism taxes. 021
Reposted by Oscar SelbyCentre for Cities @centreforcities.bsky.social · 20/11/2024NEW REPORT | Spending time: the role of the visitor economy in UK cities 🧳 This new report presents a comprehensive picture of domestic visitor spending in UK cities, which accounts for three quarters of all visitor spend nationally. Read the report 👇 www.centreforcities.org/publication/...centreforcities.orgSpending time: the role of the visitor economy in UK cities - Centre for CitiesThis report, alongside our "Visitor economy data tool", provides a comprehensive picture of domestic visitor spending across the UK’s 63 largest cities for the first time, and sets out the ‘visitor of... 2126
