The role of Public Private Partnerships in Competitive European City-Regions
Sheffield 11th-13th May 2005
The role of Public Private Partnerships (PPP's) in Competitive European city regions was placed
under the spotlight in Sheffield when almost seventy people, representing seven European partner cities,
the English Core Cities and the Sheffield City Region met for a two day showcasing
event as part of the European Union Interreg IIIC funded Compete Project.
A summary of the Sheffield event
Please click here to view presentations from the event
Lessons from the COMPETE Sheffield meeting on PPP
Why are Public Private Partnerships are gaining importance?
- Addresses the financial constraints facing cities
- Attracts grant funding / new investments
- Transfer of knowledge and know how
- Cross-sectoral and other important linkages
- Risk sharing
- Reputation by extraordinary projects
- Modernisation of the administration by introducing a new way of thinking
(Establish clear accountability and a reliable governance and decision making framework / clear
defining of the targets / clear defining of the public interests and the expectations of the
partners contribution / defining of clear project leadership / introducing of new way of communication)
- Strengthening of the sector by networking - synergy effects: co-ordination of activities; business
co-operation, cost sharing for marketing etc, initiating common actions to support the cluster
- Getting more public attention
- Designing additional activities
PPP can help deliver service improvements
- New innovative form of governance: Involving the relevant stakeholders in strategic planning (Barcelona) in order to achieve:
- consensus
- acceptance
- integrated approaches
Prerequisites for successful partnerships
- Political leadership
- Embedded in partnership system / strategic planning
- Clear definition of the roles of the partners, their resources and expectations
- reliance / trust
- shared burden / risks
What contribution can PPP make to urban competitiveness?
- Widening the scope of actions
- City Council can concentrate on strategic objectives rather than details (chose the right concept instead of chose the retailer)
- Competition delivers innovative concepts
- Existing linkages to the business sector helps to get a wider support
- Avoiding financial risks by co-operating with experts who have experience
- Different interests but common target
- More efficiency and additional funding sources could be realised
- Sharing the tasks (Masterplan / Realisation of the targets)
- Overcome barriers, especially those that hamper regional cooperation
- Additional measures to support public strategies
Policy measures?
- Exchange of experiences of public authorities
- to chose the right partner
- to make the right contract / to chose the right form
- to reduce to costs of failure for the public authorities and to minimise the public risks
- to handle conflicts and to maintain flexibility
return to top
Partnerships in Sheffield City Region. Robert Kerslake
The Role of PPPs in regenerating Manchester. Howard Bernstein
Sheffield One. Bill Kirk
Leeds financial services initiative. John Ansbro
UK Policy Context. Philip Cox
The role of public-private partnerships in competitive cities - Barcelona's Metropolitan Strategic Plan. Monica Madrigal
Neighbourhood Regeneration through Public Private Partnerships, URBACT. Hichem Trache
Phoenix Dortmund - Redevelopment of two former iron and steel-industry sites in Dortmund, an integrated approach to labour, residential, leisure and ecological urban development. Pascal Ledune
Choosing your private sector partner. Nabarro Nathanson
return to top
Site Visits
Cultural Industries Quarter
New Retail Quarter
Frenchgate Doncaster
return to top
