Episode Five: 8th June 2021

Professor Michael Parkinson. C.B.E. speaks about the proposed Everton football stadium project. Pete The Builder talks to Steve about The Green Scene in Ireland.

Talking to top journalist and presenter, Henry McDonald. Prof. Michael Parkinson delivers a superb interview that investigates the proposed Everton stadium project as well as delving into Liverpool’s regeneration.

This exceptional interview is followed by a very interesting look at The Green Scene in Ireland with our man on the ground, Pete the Builder, who chats to Constructive Voices’ podcast presenter and mate, Steve Randall.

Prof. Michael Parkinson’s Biography Courtesy of Liverpool University

Michael is an Honorary Professor at the University of Liverpool and Ambassador for its Heseltine Institute for Public Policy, Practice and Place. He was made Commander of the British Empire for services to urban regeneration in 2007 and Citizen of Honour of Liverpool in 2016.

He received his BA (Hons) from the University of Liverpool in 1965, his MA Economics (with Distinction) from the University of Manchester in 1968 and his Ph.D. from Liverpool John Moores University in 2002. He was a Lecturer in Politics at the University of Liverpool 1970-1992; Professor of Political Science 1972-3 and Director of the Urban Studies Programme 1976-79 at Washington University in St Louis. He was Director of The European Institute for Urban Affairs 1992-2013 at Liverpool John Moores University and Adviser to its Vice-Chancellor 2012-2013. At the University of Liverpool, he was Adviser to the Vice-Chancellor 2013-14 and Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Civic Engagement 2014-2020.

Michael has acted as adviser on urban affairs to UN Habitat, the European Commission, the European Parliament, OECD, EUROCITIES, the Department for Communities and Local Government, the National Audit Office, the House of Commons Select Committees, the Core Cities, and a range of cities in the UK and Europe. He has held board positions in many local, national and international organisations. He most recently served as a Board member of the Prime Minister’s Regeneration Investment Organisation and of the Special Olympics Great Britain 2021 and Trustee of the Centre for Cities and Alternative Futures Group. He is currently a member of the Mayor’s Advisory Board on Liverpool’s World Heritage Status, a member of the Liverpool Brand Committee and Special Adviser to Procure Plus Group.

Michael has directed a wide range of European and national research programmes and projects. He was Scientific Director of the European Audit for the European Commission, 1998-2000; Director of the ESRC’s Research Programme on ‘CITIES: Cohesion and Competitiveness’ 2001-4; Director of a European Commission COMPETE project 2004-6; Director of the State of English Cities research programme 2004-6 for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister as well as of its Expert Panel on Neighbourhoods, Cities and Regions 2007-10. He was Director of the Northern Way research programme 2010-11, of a European Commission ESPON Project 2010-13 and of an ESRC project on city regions 2012-14. He is a regular reviewer for major research funding organisations and academic journals and a member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Urban Regeneration and Renewal. He lectures extensively nationally and internationally and is a regular contributor to the media.

Michael has published over 100 books, articles and major reports and generated over £8m in research funds to assess the development of cities, urban policy and regeneration in the UK and Europe. He wrote ‘Liverpool on the Brink’ in 1985. His career has been partly devoted to showing how much the city has changed since then – for the better! He published the sequel ‘Liverpool Beyond the Brink: The Remaking of a Post Imperial City’ in 2019.

His recent publications include: ‘After COVID 19: Is Liverpool Still Beyond or Back on the Brink?’ (2020); ‘Lord Michael Heseltine’s Contribution to the Nation, its Cities and Liverpool’ (2019); ‘Celebrating the Contribution of the University of Liverpool to Liverpool City Region’ (2019); ‘Albert Dock: What Part in Liverpool’s Continuing Renaissance?’ (2017); ‘Liverpool’s Elected Mayor: An Independent Assessment’ (2016); and ‘The State of Liverpool City Region: Making the Most of Devolution.’ (2016). Previously he produced for the ESRC ‘UK City Regions in the Boom and Recession’ (2014) and for the European Commission ‘Second Tier Cities in Europe: In an Age of Austerity Why Invest Beyond the Capitals?’ (2012) He also published ‘The Credit Crunch, Recession, Regeneration and the North’ (2010), ‘The Credit Crunch and Regeneration: Impact and Implications.’ (2009) and ‘The State of English Cities Report’ in 2006.

His earlier works include: ‘City Matters: Competitiveness, Cohesion and Urban Governance’ (2004); ‘Competitive European Cities: Where Do the Core Cities Stand?’ (2004); ‘The European Urban Audit’ (2000); ‘Combating Social Exclusion: Lessons from Area-Based Programmes in Europe’ (1998); ‘European Cities Towards 2000: Profiles, Policies, Prospects,’ (1994); ‘Cultural Policy and Urban Regeneration: The West European Experience’ (2003); City Challenge: Interim National Evaluation’ (1996); ‘Regional Government in Britain: An Economic Solution?’ (1996); ‘Public/Private/Community Partnerships in Local Government’ (1995); ‘Assessing the Impact of Urban Policy’ (1994); ‘Urbanisation and the Functions of Cities in the European Community’ (1992); ‘Leadership and Urban Regeneration: Cities in North America and Western Europe’ (1990); ‘Regenerating the Cities: The U.K. Crisis and the U.S. Experience’ (1988); ‘Reshaping Local Government’ (1987); ‘U.S. and U.K. Education Policy: A Decade of Reform.’ (1979); and ‘The Labour Party and the Organisation of Secondary Education 1918-65’ (1970).