New book says devolved governments have 10 years to prove results

A new book from Economic Development World argues England’s devolved authorities, combined authorities and councils face a decade-long test to turn “good growth in every postcode” into measurable outcomes. The book says delivery, not just new powers, will determine whether devolution sticks.

Why it matters: - Devolved institutions in England are now expected to turn policy promises into visible local growth. - The book argues those institutions have about 10 years to prove devolution delivers before political support fades. - The stakes are high because powers granted by ministers can also be withdrawn by ministers if delivery falls short.

What happened: - Economic Development World published Prosperity in Every Postcode for leaders and officers in strategic authorities, combined authorities and councils. - The book is written for the people now responsible for delivering the government’s pledge of “good growth in every postcode.” - Dr Glenn Athey says the first serious political appraisal is likely around year five, with the full test unfolding over a decade. - The book is available now in paperback and ebook formats at Economic Development World and through Amazon.

The details: - The book argues England’s Regional Development Agencies lasted 13 years from statute to closure and returned between £4.50 and £6.40 for every pound spent before being abolished. - The Local Enterprise Partnerships also lasted 13 years. - Athey says his research for the University of Birmingham’s Local Policy Innovation Partnership identified a “delivery gap” between published strategies and actual outcomes. - That research found business case development to Green Book standard was one of the most acute skills shortages in economic development teams. - The book centers on five questions leadership teams should answer about every major commitment: what is the cause; what is possible; what will be built and stopped; if delivery is failing, why; and how success and beneficiary impact will be measured. - Case studies include Hull’s win of Siemens’ £310 million turbine blade factory over richer European rivals. - Other examples include Greater Manchester’s 30 years of joint working before its 2014 devolution deal. - The book also draws lessons from London Docklands and Salford Quays about who benefits from regeneration. - Professor Ron Martin of the University of Cambridge called the book “a cogent, informed, hard-hitting but eminently practical book on how ‘prosperity in every postcode’ can actually be achieved.” - Rossendale Borough Council Chief Executive Rob Huntington said the book should be read by anyone building a strategic authority or new unitary council that wants to deliver, not just announce. - Athey is an independent economic development consultant with more than 30 years’ experience. - His past roles include Scottish Enterprise, the London Development Agency, Centre for Cities, the East of England Development Agency and interim executive director of the Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough Local Enterprise Partnership. - He is also an LPIP Research Fellow at the University of Birmingham and author of The Local and Regional Economic Development Handbook (2026). - The book is published by Economic Development World in 2026 and has ISBN 978-1-0676371-9-4.

Between the lines: - The book frames devolution as an execution test rather than a constitutional debate. - Its core message is that institutional survival will depend on visible delivery, not the number of powers won at the outset. - The focus on skills gaps suggests many local growth bodies may struggle less with ambition than with the technical capacity to convert plans into fundable projects.

What's next: - Devolved bodies, mayors and councils will be judged over the next several years on whether they can show measurable results from new powers. - The book positions itself as a practical guide for those institutions as they build delivery systems, staffing and investment pipelines. - The author is also using the book to argue for stronger fiscal devolution and broader English regional leadership structures, including a potential No10 North, as long as they can prove results.