Search

The local is a critical scale in the organisation of spatial economy, but is often interpreted within regional arrangements and situated as component rather than distinctive unit of production. Employing a relational reading, this analysis reframes the interpretation of local economies by positioning the local as a point of convergence for economic activities and actors rather than a bounded unit. Focused on localities considered marginally represented through evolving regional policies, the analysis applies a case study of southern Staffordshire, UK to examine how the local converges embedded spaces of economic governance and economic production. It argues rescaling in these spaces has extended the spatial integration of the local. This integration can be understood through the dynamic convergence of centralised policy mechanisms, regional resource management, market patronage, and firm-level practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The decline of the regionalist era and introduction of localism has set a number of emerging issues for economic development at the local level. Amongst the spatial, organisational and functional challenges facing local government a prevalent one is re-engineering a local development trajectory to represent this new environment. The dissolution of the regional governance hierarchy alongside a fundamental shift in aspirations for economic shape and structure has forced localities to reconsider approaches to both economic development and spatial economy. Using an action-based case study of the Borough of Poole, a coastal conurbation in Southern England, this article looks at the local response in revising the economic development strategy through a contextual benchmarking approach. It proposes an alternative method to adopt in developing local strategy contributing toward questions on defining spatial economy, integrating local context and actors, and adapting to a wider set of structural and fiscal issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]