Why is the financial system in crisis? Why is the inequality gap getting wider and wider? How did we end up in the deepest recession with no end in sight?
Does it have to be like this?
In November 2013 we decided to try and find some of the answers. We invited an impressive assembly of experts to talk about or run workshops on: the global economic crisis; steady state economics; participatory budgeting; local currencies and alternatives to money. Nearly 40 people attended the seminar for an inspirational and informative day.
Outcomes included:
- A team was set up to develop an ‘Economic Blueprint’ for Buxton: the resulting Buxton Economic Resilience Study was published in January 2015
- Andrew Bingham MP asked to meet with us to talk through our ideas, and agreed to pursue them with parliamentary colleagues
- We were invited to speak to a group of HPBC councillors about participatory budgeting, and some subsequently attended a session in Tameside
- We continue to monitor the development of local currencies elsewhere and hope at some stage to look into the feasibility of a High Peak Pound.
The Proceedings were written up in full, you can download them here, and the appendices separately. If you’d like a hard copy sending to you, please get in touch.