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Data and Transparency for Combined Authorities: Briefing Paper

“Greater devolution of data accessibility and sharing would help deliver better outcomes for residents through better evidence for action, monitoring, and evaluation.”

This briefing paper discusses the challenges and recommendations for improving data sharing and transparency among Combined Authorities (CAs) in England. It highlights seven key devolution asks to enhance collaboration between Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCAs) and the government, establish transparent governance and accountability for data, standardise data collection and management practices, identify critical datasets, invest in local capacity, reduce the cost of licensing data products, and facilitate research collaboration. The paper emphasises the importance of data in driving evidence-based decision-making and achieving local policy objectives.

April 2025

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Living and Working More Sustainably in a Greener Economy

“The opportunity cost of delay both in terms of nature recovery and decarbonisation is high and not routinely considered in policy agendas.” 

This evidence review, by Dr Matt Lyons, City-REDI, University of Birmingham, considers the academic literature, grey literature and policy documents to identify the burning questions and key challenges for sub-national actors in achieving a more sustainable, greener economy.

April 2025

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Advancing People-Centred, Place-Based Approaches

As part of the Local Policy Innovation Partnership (LPIP) Hub work, we are collaborating with partners working on areas covered by the LPIP themes. For the Felt Experiences theme, we are collaborating with the Arts and Humanities Research Council’s Place Programme, based at the University of Glasgow. The programme, led by Professor Rebecca Madgin, a member of the LPIP Hub Board, has developed a suite of reports looking at this thematic area.

This report, Advancing People-Centred, Place-Based Approaches, sets out a direction of travel for people-centred, place-based policies, practices and research – it provides insights into what we know and what we have achieved, but also shows where we need to get to.  

November 2024

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Skills Evidence Review

“The most effective approach to enhance the influence of skills interventions on places is to integrate them as part of a comprehensive ‘local stimulus package’, which also includes housing, transport, job quality, economic development, business improvement, and innovation support.” 

This evidence review summarises skills policy across the UK, focusing on devolution, local skills ecosystems, and the role of higher and further education in supporting skills development. It draws key learnings from several place-based interventions related to skills, highlighting effective strategies for addressing local and regional skills challenges, such as skills shortages and skills underutilisation. Key findings illuminate the importance of aligning skills development with local economic requirements, the impact of fragmented governance and inconsistent devolution across the UK on local policy innovation, and the need for targeted interventions to address spatial disparities.

The government can advance devolution with clearly defined powers for local skills policy, while policymakers, local authorities, educational institutions, and businesses work together to build capacity for integrated planning and develop place-specific strategies. Strengthening collaboration among these stakeholders is important for addressing local skills challenges and driving sustainable growth.

November 2024

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Inclusive and Sustainable Local Economic Performance Evidence Review

“The lack of clear structure, funding and resources is leading to poor capacity and capability in place and, as a result, impacting the ability of place-based institutions to create transformational change.” 

This evidence review summarises key policies and research related to inclusive and sustainable local economic performance, focusing on strengthening economic development partnerships within place. It examines inclusive and sustainable local economic performance, national and local policies, the varying capabilities and capacities in place, and lessons learnt from local partnerships to improve inclusive and sustainable economic performance, both UK-based and international. The review aims to inform the development of inclusive and sustainable local economic partnerships through the identification of key challenges and the demonstration of good practice. 

Policy makers and researchers should prioritise improving the evidence base, structure, funding, powers and resources of devolved national and sub-national governments to ensure that they have the capacity and capability to create transformational change. 

October 2024

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Innovation Evidence Review

“Innovation policies are increasingly ‘shifting away from top-down and centralised approaches towards policies that favour cooperative, multi-actor and often more ‘place-based’ approaches”. 

This evidence review synthesises key research and policy questions related to place-based innovation, focusing on strengthening local innovation ecosystems across the UK. It examines national and local innovation policies, the varying capacities of different places for innovation, lessons from existing interventions, and international examples. The review aims to inform the design of effective place-based innovation strategies by identifying key challenges and opportunities.

Policymakers and researchers should prioritise developing robust frameworks for measuring the impact of place-based innovation policies, conducting comprehensive case studies across diverse regions, and fostering cross-disciplinary collaborations to address local innovation challenges holistically.

October 2024

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Cultural Recovery Evidence Review​

“The UK’s centralised economy disproportionately impacts those areas with weaker cultural infrastructure. Increased competition over fewer resources, in relation to local authority expenditure for non-statutory services, coupled with changes in audience behaviour is providing significant risk to sustainable cultural infrastructure, particularly in places where it is already weak.”

This report by James Davies, City-REDI, University of Birmingham, brings together academic and policy literature relevant to the theme of cultural recovery, drawing on interdisciplinary research and evidence for cultural policy and offering international case studies. It aims to give policymakers and local partnerships a current ‘state-of-play’, exploring key debates and insights to inform the design of effective interventions for cultural development and infrastructure.

June 2024

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Local Policy Innovation Partnership Hub

The Local Policy Innovation Partnership (LPIP) Hub seeks to address nationwide issues through local partnership and place.

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