Resort joins major European city leadership programme

Blackpool has been selected to join the inaugural class of a new European city leadership initiative – and the move is expected to benefit the town in key ways.

The first-ever Bloomberg LSE European City Leadership Initiative will equip Blackpool with the capabilities to tackle local challenges, marshal new solutions, and deliver results.

That’s the message from Blackpool Council Leader, Cllr Lynn Williams, who will join 30 mayors and 60 city officials total who hail from 17 countries, serving over 21 million residents, selected to participate.

There have been some concerns in the past that, despite efforts, the resort could not always compete for certain opportunities afforded to Mayor-led cities in the North West, like Manchester and Liverpool.

Established and led by Bloomberg Philanthropies together with the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), the Bloomberg LSE European City Leadership Initiative will be delivered by LSE Cities in collaboration with the Hertie School in Berlin.

The program will provide Blackpool with pioneering expertise to tackle problems, modernize services, strengthen operations, and improve people’s lives – advancing progress on the issues—from housing to transit to youth outcomes—residents care most about.

Although not a city, Blackpool has become part of the Lancashire Combined County Authority (CCA), which was officially launched on February 5, 2025. The CCA is a partnership between Blackpool Council, Lancashire County Council, and Blackburn with Darwen Council and receives transferred powers and funding from central government to improve transport, economic prosperity, and skills development across Lancashire.

Cllr Lynn Williams said: “For many years, we have been championing Blackpool nationally and internationally, making sure our great town gets the support, funding and recognition it deserves and needs.

“That work has helped support our £2bn regeneration programme, which is boosting our economy and creating jobs for local people, as well as delivering over a thousand better homes for local residents.

“One of our key priorities is to make sure our young people have the best start in life and have the tools to make the most of their opportunities.

“I’m delighted to join the European City Leadership Initiative so we can boost our ability to deliver on these aims.

“The programme will allow us to take the leadership advice from some of the most well respected business and political minds in the world on how we tackle the key issues that Blackpool faces – maximising growth and opportunity, creating stronger communities and providing the right environment so our young people can succeed.

“This programme means that Blackpool will share the programme with major European cities like Oslo, Dublin, Zagreb and Madrid, who we can share ideas with and make connections with to help our town in the future.”

Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg L.P. and Bloomberg Philanthropies and 108th mayor of New York City, said: “We continue to expand our municipal leadership programs globally, because we’ve seen how well they y work – and we want more cities to benefit

“As Europe increasingly looks to local governments to lead, we’re glad to join forces with the London School of Economics and Political Science and the Hertie School on this new initiative. Together, we can bring mayors and senior officials the tools, training, and peer networks they need to take on their biggest challenges – and succeed.”

Cities and large urban areas like Blackpool are facing challenges such as building shortages, rising costs, new government rules and growing resident demands.

Some 86 per cent of mayors in a Eurocities survey reported that their city would have to innovate to overcome a lack of resources to deliver on their priorities—and two thirds rank leadership and commitment from mayors and senior municipal officers as the most important factors to achieve this.

The Bloomberg LSE European City Leadership Initiative will equip Blackpool with the strategies, skills, and networks to meet the moment. Through the nine-month intensive classroom, field-based, and capacity-building training, Blackpool will learn evidence-backed strategies from world-class faculty, researchers, and policy leaders on how to drive performance, work across departments, mobilize collaborations, and marshal solutions that deliver tangible results for citizens.

Professor Larry Kramer, President and Vice Chancellor of LSE., said: “Mayors across Europe are looking to lead—but to address the unique problems they face and deliver on new opportunities that emerge, they need sharp management, strong teams, and the skills to innovate. This is precisely what the Bloomberg LSE European City Leadership Initiative will help provide.”