A very happy 40th birthday to @clesthinkdo.bsky.social! A great line up of speakers @mayorofgm.bsky.social @bevcraig.bsky.social @allymcgovern.bsky.social @sarahlonglands.bsky.social all pointing to the need to overturn 40 years of an economic ideology based on extraction.

CLES is 40 🎉 To mark this moment, our former director and chair, Michael Ward, reflects on how the threat of the abolition of the Greater London Council and other metropolitan counties led to the birth of CLES 🐣 🔗 cles.org.uk/cles-at-40-f...

Today we’ll be celebrating 40 years of CLES with an incredible lineup 🎉 We’re thrilled to be joined by leading figures including Rt Hon Lord David Blunkett, Alison McGovern MP, Hannah Spencer MP and Mayor Andy Burnham – don’t miss it ✨

As we prepare to celebrate CLES’s 40th tomorrow, read this timely interview with @sarahlonglands.bsky.social & Ann McGauran in The MJ Sarah explores our legacy - founded in 1986 by John Prescott, David Blunkett & others - and our role in shaking up economics ever since www.themj.co.uk/edition

CLES began as a collective response to difficult times for local economies ✊ Today, in an age of permacrisis, our purpose matters more than ever 🌍 We’ve rebranded for the first time 20 years - a renewal for what comes next 🔥 @sarahlonglands.bsky.social writes 👇 cles.org.uk/cles-at-40-r...

Trust is the infrastructure our economy runs on 🏦 We rebuild it by designing systems so people see a future where they live 🏗️ As Bertrand Russell said: let's create conditions that make hope seem rational 💡 CLES trustee Huw Thomas sets out 5 steps toward trust ✍️ 🔗 cles.org.uk/trust-the-in...

CLES has a fresh new identity 🌱 From today, we are the Centre for Local Economies - an independent think tank and charity that puts economics in its place 🏘️ 🔗 www.cles.org.uk

Something exciting is coming… After 40 years of working for people, our planet, and the places we call home, we’re evolving 🦋 Tomorrow, we launch our new look 🚀 Stay tuned 📡

Great to spend St Patrick’s day with @clesthinkdo.bsky.social team in the office with sunshine and good food in manchester ☘️

Since 1988, outsourcing services once delivered by councils has reshaped the geography of local spend, meaning profit often leaves communities. But councils are rediscovering the value of keeping services - & wealth - local 💡 🔗 @sarahlonglands.bsky.social for the MJ: www.themj.co.uk/special-deli...

As Wales charts its course to a net zero economy, it must consider who will own, shape and benefit from it 🪴 @naomimason.bsky.social writes for Wales Centre for Public Policy, diving into the lessons Wales can borrow from Scotland, & where it can lead the way ✒️⤵️ wcpp.org.uk/blog-posts/n...

Tonight the Brit Awards are making their debut in Manchester 🏆 Listen to our head of programmes, Victoria Bettany, speaking to @bbc5live.bsky.social about the opportunity for the local economy 📻

💡 Blog Research by Q-Step intern, Jasmine Barry, explores tourism in Wales 🔎 Profits are leaking out. Workers face low pay & unaffordable housing. Communities are hollowed out ❌ We need a model that keeps wealth local, strengthens supply chains & creates good jobs ✅ 🔗 cles.org.uk/blog/can-tou...

With our country facing deep and growing health challenges rooted in, and with consequences for, the wider economy and society, Katherine Merrifield and @clesthinkdo.bsky.social​'s Tom Lloyd Goodwin argue health improvement should be a core test of devolution. Read more ⬇️ https://bit.ly/3MqZcp2

📣 Last chance to apply 📣 Looking for an exciting new role in think tank communications? You have until Monday to apply to become our new Communications Officer! ⏲️

Yesterday was a huge day in the world of community wealth building. Scotland became the first country to legislate for it, at a national level. This means that the committment to tackle wealth inequality is baked into how we deliver economic development, and how we operate as a country.

At 10:00 @clesthinkdo.bsky.social will be leading an exciting session on how Community Wealth Building can be integrated into both strategic thinking and day-to-day operational decisions across local authorities, partner organisations and the communities they serve.

Members of the Scottish Parliament have just voted to pass the world’s first piece of legislation on Community Wealth Building This is a huge opportunity to ensure that when Scotland has economic growth, we use it to reduce wealth inequality and support communities to thrive

Join Sarah Longlands (Chief Executive, CLES) and Simon Grove‑White (Senior Researcher, CLES & Co‑Author of the CCIN Social Value Toolkit) as they unpack how CWB principles shape everyday decisions on procurement, employment, land and assets. @clesthinkdo.bsky.social

"We shouldn’t simply accept that poverty, inequality and environmental degradation are worth the price of a growing economy" @naomimason.bsky.social for @holyroodmag.bsky.social's The Huddle on the future of Scotland's economy 🖊️👇 www.holyrood.com/inside-polit...

A crackdown on profiteering in the care sector is much needed. Recent RORE research found that in just three English regions private companies took more than £250m in profit over three years from the care sector. www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

As a society, we all play a role in collective caregiving. Every child deserves the best start in life, which is why we must reject caring for the most vulnerable children from being a cash cow for profiteering 👛 We are pleased that government plan to act ⤵️ www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

England's children's care market is broken. Foster carers down 10%, costs spiralling, kids placed hundreds of miles from home. Can Greater Manchester's reforms fix a system in crisis? Read my piece below for @newstatesman1913.bsky.social: www.newstatesman.com/spotlight/20...

"What is being taken out is not just money. It is capacity. It is dignity." Check out this blog from Truth about Local Government about our latest 'Reclaiming Our Regional Economies' research ⤵️ www.truthaboutlocalgovernment.com/post/care-as...

I’m really excited to be recruiting a Comms Officer to work closely with me on CLES’s communications 💫 2026 is going to be a fab year to join us. We’ll celebrate our 40th birthday, launch our new-look brand and website, and we’ve big ambitions to step up our news and advocacy profile 💪🏻 See here 👇🏻

🚨 We are recruiting a Communications Officer 🚨 If you are a skilled communications professional who cares about building better local economies, find out more and apply here ⤵️ cles.org.uk/jobs/were-re...

Our partners at Cast from Clay are looking for a Communications Consultant. If you’re a comms professional interested in making change happen and are ready for a new challenge, this one’s worth a look ⤵️ castfromclay.co.uk/career/consu...

2026 is special to CLES, because it's the year in which we turn 40! 🥳 @sarahlonglands.bsky.social outlines what else we can expect in local economic policy this year, for the MJ ✒️ www.themj.co.uk/powering-loc...

Five Lessons About Anchor Networks In this blog, originally posted on the The Centre for Local Economic Strategies (CLES) website, a Delivery Partner of the LPIP Hub, Conrad Parke discusses lessons learnt at a recent London Anchor Institution Network event. https://ow.ly/zxmS50XW7qU

A budget with a lot of positive actions, but there are a few cautionary notes as well. If Scotland is a nation of "innovators and wealth creators" lets make sure that wealth stays here and builds for our places and communities.

Asking those with the broadest shoulders to back our shared priorities was the right call to make in today's Budget. But its delivery must shift real power and ownership to Scotland's communities 💪 @naomimason.bsky.social reacts to today's Scottish Budget from @shonarobison.bsky.social ⤵️

Want to learn the fundamentals of how local economies can be reshaped to work for people, places & our planet? 💡 Join us for our upcoming 'An Introduction to Community Wealth Building' workshop! 👷‍♀️ 🔗 Register here: cles.org.uk/events/an-in... 📅 When: Thursday 5th March 💻 Where: Online

2026 is here and it's set to be a big year for local economies in Scotland! @naomimason.bsky.social breaks down what's ahead for her latest policy & practice update: 🗳️ Elections 📜 Community Wealth Building legislation 🥳 CLES turns 40 🔗 cles.org.uk/blog/scottis...

Together with @thekingsfund.bsky.social, we've how English devolution can fulfil its potential to reduce health inequalities @davidjbuck.bsky.social explains in this HSJ article, drawing on our recent essay with David, Tom Lloyd Goodwin & @lucatiratelli.bsky.social ⤵️ www.hsj.co.uk/policy-and-r...

Just in time for the Xmas stocking! Hope you have a good one. Our in depth @thekingsfund.bsky.social @clesthinkdo.bsky.social piece this is based on is on CLES website linked in the HSJ article www.hsj.co.uk/policy-and-r...

All we want for Christmas is local economies that work for everyone 📜 So here's to building them in 2026! 👷‍♀️ Wishing you the happiest of holidays, from all at CLES 🎅

This afternoon, Minister @allymcgovern.bsky.social gave a statement to parliament on the provisional local government finance settlement 🗣️ We welcome the restoration of the link between council funding and deprivation 👏 Our response ⤵️

Have just had an article published with @publicsectorfocus.bsky.social for @clesthinkdo.bsky.social about how profit is being extracted from locally commissioned care services and how to build a better care system flickread.com/edition/html...

The Devolution White Paper and the 10 year Health Plan have massively changed the landscape for two increasingly important public sector bodies - Strategic Authorities and Integrated Care Systems. Improving health inequalities will require them to work together. Here's how they can do that 👇

🤝 The relationship between strategic authorities & integrated care systems represents an opportunity to improve health 🫴 But both need support to navigate new responsibilities, align priorities & overcome barriers 🔗 Our new essay with @thekingsfund.bsky.social ⤵️ cles.org.uk/publications...

Keep your 👀 peeled tomorrow for the latest output from @thekingsfund.bsky.social jt work with @clesthinkdo.bsky.social on #healthinequalities and #English #devolution. This time on the critical relationship between strategic authorities, mayors & ICBs/ICSs > what needs to happen to get this right

📢 Announcing our latest hire! 🤝 Please join us in welcoming Emmet Kiberd to CLES as our newest Senior Researcher 📊 Emmet - an expert with over a decade of experience in economic policy and research - joins us from the New Economics Foundation 🔗 cles.org.uk/about-cles/p...

This story by the @manchestereveningnews.co.uk's @josephtiman.bsky.social is a must-read for anyone following the Employment Rights Bill 🔍 It brings to life our research showing that good employment has a positive impact on businesses bottom line 🫰 www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater...

The Chancellor has made sensible calls to lift hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty by ending the two-child benefit cap, narrowing the gap between income on wealth and work, and putting more money into the NHS Coverage of our Budget reaction in the LGC 👇 www.lgcplus.com/finance/budg...

"The Chancellor should mature her economic mission - focussing on who benefits from the creation, as well as the outcomes, of growth – putting wages, affordability, deprivation and the planet we all share front and centre of her fiscal decisions” Dr Tom Lloyd Goodwin reacts to the Budget ⤵️

Great to have worked with many of England’s mayors, @np-partnership.bsky.social, @centreforcities.bsky.social & @clesthinkdo.bsky.social on helping to make the case 🙌

It's #GoodEmploymentWeek! Today we publish our analysis with Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter showing that good employment can have a positive impact on: 🌟Productivity 🌟Profitability 🌟Morale 🌟Retention 🌟Reducing sick pay 🔗 cles.org.uk/publications...

How do new opportunities link to people on the ground? On BBC Politics NW this morning, @sarahlonglands.bsky.social explained how the benefits of @andyburnham.bsky.social's Good Growth Fund should enable people feel that their lives are getting better. 🎥 Watch here: www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...