Other countries may be technically out of recession but that status remains tantalisingly out of reach for the UK.
Nevertheless, if cities want sustainable growth they should start preparing now in order to make the most of economic recovery according to Will Hutton, executive vice chairman of the Work Foundation.
Guardian columnist Hutton is among the speakers at the Core Cities Summit being staged at Liverpool's BT Convention Centre this week, where he will reveal the interim findings of a study being prepared by the Work Foundation and economic forecasters Oxford Economics on behalf of the Core Cities Group.
The Core Cities Group comprises Birmingham, Bristol, Liverpool, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham and Sheffield.
The study examines the challenges facing cities post-recession and the full findings will be published in 2010.
Core Cities Group director Chris Murray claims that the report is breaking new ground because post-recession city economies have been modelled for different scenarios.
The study demonstrates the consequences if skill levels are not raised, if cities attract insufficient investment and if climate change is not tackled.
According to the study, the advantages offered by cities, such as access to a critical mass of consumers, to workers with specialist skills and to opportunities for individuals to exchange knowledge and ideas, have become more important over the past 30 years as the economy has become knowledge intensive.
A longer term view of how investment can best support growth is therefore required.
The study predicts that non-financial knowledge - and technology-based activities – including high-tech manufacture, creative and cultural services, ICT services, higher education and healthcare – are likely to grow post-recession.
Emerging knowledge-based activities such as energy supply and "manu-services" – manufacturing companies offering both services and products – will also do well.
Other speakers at the summit include Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg, Lord Michael Bates, shadow minister for communities and local government and transport minister Sadiq Khan.
