ACT works with many of you who have dreams and ambitions for the future of Cumbria, your community, or your project. Many of these dreams rely on the economy performing well to provide funds and make things happen.
We are going to have a new Mayor in May 2027. Some of their powers could assist these aspirations, not just with funding (because there may not be much!) but with policies and approaches.
Here are three links to articles about the economy on a national and local scale and what we, as individuals, communities and places can do, to support our local economy.
Interviewed in The Guardian, Professor Marina Mazzucato says: ‘Good governments have a vision. They know what they want to achieve, can articulate why, and work out in public how to get there. They don’t just spout slogans about economic growth – because growth is meaningless unless we know what it is for.‘
She goes on to critique approaches to government and economics that fail us, and suggests that ‘remaking economic theory and government practice, around a new set of purposes that would tackle the global scourge of inequality and the existential threat of the climate and nature crises is essential.‘
We see many of you, in communities, working to address these issues. This is an interesting read that we share, not so you can agree with it, but to encourage you to think about the big picture and how this can help us all do what’s needed in Cumbria.
The second piece is related, and provided the circular economy image used for this blog. At Buildbonding, they say, ‘Circular Economy for Sustainable community development offers a practical pathway to reduce waste, strengthen local economies, and protect the environment. By promoting reuse, repair, and regeneration, communities can build resilient systems that support social inclusion, economic growth, and long-term sustainability while reducing dependence on limited natural resources.’
We know many of you are working to sustain your community with reduce, reuse and recycle philosophies. The article goes on to explore ideas about how ‘…forward-thinking communities are embracing the principles of the circular economy to foster resilience and long-term sustainability’. Think repair cafes, share schemes, allotments and working with local small businesses. Keeping money local, building skills and supporting each other.
The third piece brings us back to the new mayoral authority, with government guidance for Mayors on the Circular economy concept: ‘By integrating social, economic and environmental considerations, circular approaches minimise resource use and environmental impact while fostering sustainable growth and social value’. The advice goes on to say: ‘Local places are the powerhouses of the circular transition, with many local and regional governments already leading the way. At the local level, circular economy approaches strengthen community resilience, create jobs and support inclusive economic development’
So what has all this got to do with your dreams and ambitions? Hopefully that’s clear from the articles. You can be the change that’s needed to make the difference. We all have the opportunity to make a difference with our actions, our buying (and not buying) choices and the way we interact with others in our community. The Mayoral Authority can help, by thinking about policy at the very local level, and by supporting our many rural communities with policy designed to work in our more sparsely populated areas, as well as in our more populated places. Local economics, circular economics and clear, ambitious, articulated thinking helps at national, regional and local level for authorities and for community projects.
Please let us know what you think about these ideas, what they make you think you could do in your community, and how ACT could help you.
