A radical shake-up of local governance was announced this week with 38 devolution proposals from cities, towns and counties across the United Kingdom being made to government.
Each area has submitted proposals to take control of how public money is spent in their local area.
Estates Gazette spoke to local authority leaders at the Core Cities Summit 2015, hosted with Bilfinger GVA, to ask what they wanted to see from devolution.
• Listen: Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester city council
• Listen: George Ferguson, Bristol city mayor
• Listen: Leigh Bramall, deputy leader of Sheffield city council
Investment into infrastructure and the ability to spend where local need demand were top of many agendas, with leaders also excited by the prospect of being able to lure talent away from London to a higher quality of life in the regions.
Successful future deals from the proposals announced today will be supported through the Cities and Local Government Devolution Bill currently passing through parliament. The proposals will now be considered as part of the Spending Review process.
Bilfinger GVA and the Core Cities both released research examining the importance of accompanying infrastructure development to bring development out of London and the South East.
