‘A term barely unheard of a decade ago, many areas in the UK are looking to Community Wealth Building to challenge systemic failures of conventional economic development which has led to rising inequality, economic stagnation, and environmental crisis.

The well-known ‘Preston Model’ is one example of how to develop a more democratic economy in place using various levers and strategies to ensure there is more ownership and control within communities. This is accompanied by a growth of Community Wealth Building policies in many areas of the UK alongside significant international advancement.

Matthew Brown from The Democracy Collaborative who is also Leader of Preston City Council will give a talk about the exciting trends to genuinely take back control by promoting strategies that put wealth in a wider number of hands and democratise capital at source.’

About Councillor Brown

Councillor Matthew Brown is Leader of Preston City Council in the north of England, where he has been widely credited as the driving force behind the ‘Preston model’, an economic strategy at the city and county level that presents a comprehensive, interlinked approach to community wealth building as a practical and transformative alternative to austerity and disinvestment. First elected to represent the Tulketh ward in 2002, Councillor Matthew Brown subsequently took on portfolios that included community engagement and inclusion, social justice and policy initiatives, leading to his election in 2018 as Council Leader.

About Cafe Economique

Café Economique is a voluntary organisation which runs a monthly meeting with a speaker, the aim of which is to raise awareness and  invite debate about current socio- economic, social justice  and environmental topics.

For further information, see the website Forthcoming Events | My Site 2 (cafeeconomiqueleeds.org)