Devolution offers an opportunity to reshape where power resides in the UK. But after years of austerity, the impact of the pandemic, and the cost-of-living crisis, can it be made to work for our most deprived communities? This panel event will explore the impact of localised governance on community sustainability, and particularly, the role of metro mayors in responding to austerity politics. It will explore whether devolution can make politics work for low-income neighbourhoods, by bringing power closer to local communities, and giving them a say in the policies, actions, and services that affect them.
Meet our speakers and chair
Ryan Bellinson (@rbellinson) is an action-oriented researcher, policy advisor and public sector innovator. His work focuses on untangling challenges that intersect politics, collective action, and community empowerment. Ryan is the Community Innovation Strategist at the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, leading a place-based air quality innovation programme. He helped found the Cities Programme at University College London Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose, where he is a Senior Research Fellow in Cities, Climate and Innovation. Previously, he held positions in numerous public sector and research organisations developing transformative climate action, finance and urban planning policies.
Tony Travers is a Visiting Professor in the Department of Government at LSE and Director of LSE London.
Ben Rogers is Bloomberg Distinguished Fellow in Government Innovation at LSE Cities.
Update, Monday 10 June: Due to unforeseen circumstances, Rokshana Fiaz and Adam Hawksbee will no longer be speaking at this event.
The Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion (CASE) is a multi-disciplinary research centre exploring social disadvantage and the role of social and public policies in preventing, mitigating or exacerbating it. Social disadvantage is taken to be multidimensional, and often best understood in a dynamic or lifecourse perspective, and with individual, family, local, national and international aspects.
More about this event
This event is part of the LSE Festival: Power and Politics running from Monday 10 to Saturday 15 June 2024, with a series of events exploring how power and politics shape our world. Booking for all Festival events is now open.
Hashtag for this event: #LSEFestival
Podcast & Video
A podcast of this event is available to download from Empowering communities? Exploring devolution's impact on low-income areas.
A video of this event is available to watch at Empowering communities? Exploring devolution's impact on low-income areas.
Podcasts and videos of many LSE events can be found at the LSE Public Lectures and Events: podcasts and videos channel.