Trowers & Hamlins has partnered with the Future Governance Forum (FGF) on a new report calling on the Chancellor to give mayors greater powers to deliver housing, health and school infrastructure projects across their regions. Drawing on expertise from across the public and private sectors, the report sets out proposals for a new model of progressive public-private partnership to support growth and regeneration, with contributions from Amardeep Gill, Partner and Head of Public Sector at Trowers & Hamlins.
Andy Burnham has made clear his government's priorities are good growth, regeneration and getting more investment into the regions. Yet time is short before the next election for the government to make good on these ambitions and build new infrastructure, especially while fiscal constraints remain imposing. FGF is recommending Mayoral Infrastructure Investment Partnerships, a new model of progressive public-private partnership that mayors can use to build the infrastructure they need in their regions.
The report, Empowering mayors with progressive public-private partnerships for growth and regeneration, calls on the Chancellor to use the Budget to:
- Give mayors the powers they need to deliver infrastructure in their areas as part of the "Rewiring the State" agenda, so they are licensed and supported by the Treasury and No.10 North to use the Mayoral Infrastructure Investment Partnership model where it works for them. This would see mayors given the support and funding they need to deliver PPP-financed projects.
The report also calls on the Chancellor to use the 2027 Comprehensive Spending Review to:
- Give mayors the funding required to get these projects off the ground, with no extra cost to the taxpayer, by recycling the money freed up as old Private Finance Initiative (PFI) contracts expire. This would see £500 million devolved to Mayoral Strategic Authorities to fund public infrastructure by 2032-33, rising to £1.7 billion by 2037-38.
By 2032-33, this could mean an additional:
- £25 million for Greater Manchester
- £25 million for the West Midlands
- £20 million for West Yorkshire
- £19 million for the East Midlands
- £17 million for the North East
This would rise to £85 million, £69 million, £64 million and £58 million respectively by 2037-38.
Adam Terry, Executive Director of FGF, said:
"Britain's hospitals and schools are crumbling and it would cost nearly £16bn in the NHS alone just to bring it back up to a functioning standard, let alone to meet our future infrastructure needs.
"Mayoral Infrastructure Investment Partnerships would enable the public and private sectors to work together to build infrastructure at pace, and deliver progressive outcomes in terms of jobs, skills and community benefits.
"The Chancellor is right to identify investment and place as two major drivers for getting our country growing again and bringing back hope. In his Budget he can address both by giving mayors the powers they need to get building again in their regions."
Amardeep Gill, Partner and Head of Public Sector at Trowers & Hamlins, said:
"This report makes a compelling case for giving mayors the tools, flexibility and accountability to unlock investment that can transform communities. By bringing together public ambition and private sector expertise, it highlights how a new generation of partnerships can deliver not just vital infrastructure, but wider regeneration, skills and long-term economic growth.
"At a time when public resources are under pressure, this is a practical and forward-looking blueprint for delivering meaningful change across the UK."
Read the full report: Empowering mayors with progressive public-private partnerships for growth and regeneration
