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Rewiring local government for citizen engagement
Full text linkThe relationship between the government and citizens needs reimagining as a matter of priority. Amid structural reforms, declining trust, attitudinal polarisation, and increasing social and economic pressures, this paper argues for a fundamental shift toward citizen engagement. Key challenges include: Low public trust in both central and local government. Structural changes such as the creation of mayor-led Strategic Authorities and new large unitary authorities. The demand from citizens for greater involvement in decisions that affect their lives. Many councils are already pursuing democratic innovations such as neighbourhood-level devolution and citizens’ assemblies, and Parish councils are booming. The English Devolution White Paper offers useful new powers but more needs to be done to make citizen engagement effective.
Learning from academic research and practice evaluation, we identify the need for a multifaceted approach where engagement is embedded in the fabric of local governance. In particular, developing three essential conditions for effective engagement: 1 Convening democratic spaces – enabling deliberative and dialogic processes that help rebuild trust between citizens and institutions. 2 Building community capacity – supporting citizens, especially those groups and communities that are often marginalised in public life, to co-create solutions and strengthen social cohesion. 3 Co-producing services – involving service users in the design and delivery of public services to ensure responsiveness and innovation.
Effective citizen engagement both builds on existing local engagement activity and cultivates purposeful experimentation with new approaches. The legitimate concerns of some local politicians need to be carefully addressed and support provided to develop their community leadership roles. Engaging young people and making appropriate use of digital engagement are important areas for development. The paper concludes that democratic renewal requires more than structural reform - it demands leadership, reform and investment. By further embedding citizen engagement, councils can foster trust, improve outcomes, and build a more inclusive and resilient democratic society
The Future of Smart Human-Robot Collaborative Working Environments: Towards Meaningful Work for All: A White Paper
Full text linkThis White Paper, The Future of Smart Human– Robot Collaborative Working Environments: Towards Meaningful Work for All, presents a critical synthesis of the research conducted within the Smart Cobotics Centre, part of the UK’s Made Smarter Innovation programme. Over the past three years, we have investigated how collaborative applications,
embodied artificial intelligence, and digital engineering systems are reshaping manufacturing. Our focus is not only on technological advancements but on how these systems interact with human work, affect social dynamics, and raise new ethical and organisational questions. Rooted in the vision of Industry 5.0, we argue for a human-centric approach—one that aligns innovation with resilience, inclusivity, and long-term societal value
Improving public funding allocation to reduce geographical inequalities
Full text linkThis report proposes improved ways to allocate public funding within and between different areas in England to reduce geographical inequalities and enable more places to contribute meaningfully to national economic growth and renewal. It draws on the research of a multi-disciplinary team of academics, researchers and consultants undertaken between June 2024 and March 2025.
This research included evidence reviews, international case studies, analysis of spatially targeted funding streams, ‘deep dives’ into specific topics, interviews with policy practitioners, and citizen engagement. Addressing the role of public funding in reducing geographical inequalities in England, the research identified ten guiding principles and ten key problems with incremental, moderate and radical proposals to help resolve them.
This report is for the Improving Public Funding Allocations to Reduce Geographical Inequalities project funded by the ESRC.
The project brings together a highly experienced interdisciplinary team from the Universities of Birmingham, Bristol, De Montfort, Newcastle, Nottingham, Plymouth and Sheffield, together with the National Centre for Social Research and Metro Dynamics
Geographically concentrating or spreading public funding
Full text linkThis report explores the advantages and disadvantages of concentrating versus spreading public funding across different geographical areas. It highlights the importance of considering both approaches systematically in relation to specific policy areas and their intended outcomes. The report emphasises the need for accountable and transparent governance processes, robust monitoring and evaluation frameworks, and increased investment in local institutions to enhance policymaking and delivery capacity.
This report is for the Improving Public Funding Allocations to Reduce Geographical Inequalities project funded by the ESRC.
The project brings together a highly experienced interdisciplinary team from the Universities of Birmingham, Bristol, De Montfort, Newcastle, Nottingham, Plymouth and Sheffield, together with the National Centre for Social Research and Metro Dynamics
EU Trade Governance: Assessing Prometheus
Full text linkThis lecture will focus on EU trade governance in these turbulent and exceptional times. It will use EU action in the fields of industrial policy and competitiveness, and the fight of climate change as case-studies. The first case-study will focus on the recent EU initiatives with respect to subsidies, in particular the Foreign Subsidy Regulation (FSR) and the reconstruction of trade remedies to tackle transnational subsidies. The second case-study will concentrate on the extension of the Emissions Trading System (ETS) beyond the EU via the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). Drawing on the Greek myth of Prometheus, the lecture will enquire whether the EU action in these fields has been 'clever' but at the same time 'full of various wiles' - as the Greek mythological figure was believed to be. Ultimately, these two rich and salient case-studies will enable a broader assessment of recent EU trade policy, its innovations as well as its side-effects and difficulties
Utilisation of funding
Full text linkThere is considerable interest in how funding is allocated to local stakeholders to address spatial inequalities and in the amount of funding that is available where. However, funding comes with rules on how, when, where and on what it can be spent. The focus of this review is on the factors influencing how funding is/ can be used to address local priorities that will address spatial inequalities and associated challenges and opportunities.
This report is for the Improving Public Funding Allocations to Reduce Geographical Inequalities project funded by the ESRC.
The project brings together a highly experienced interdisciplinary team from the Universities of Birmingham, Bristol, De Montfort, Newcastle, Nottingham, Plymouth and Sheffield, together with the National Centre for Social Research and Metro Dynamics
Devolution and subsidiarity
Full text linkThere has been a global trend towards devolution over recent years, with data showing that subnational authority has deepened in most countries around the world (Hooghe et al, 2023). The United Kingdom, however, remains a stark exception with an exceptionally centralised system of governance. This review examines some key issues relating to the prospect for greater fiscal devolution in the UK, including 1) the rationale for the devolution of funding, 2) the challenges devolution of funding pose for institutional capacity and capability in terms of both strategy and delivery, and 3) how English devolution has evolved and the implications for central-local relations.
This report is for the Improving Public Funding Allocations to Reduce Geographical Inequalities project funded by the ESRC.
The project brings together a highly experienced interdisciplinary team from the Universities of Birmingham, Bristol, De Montfort, Newcastle, Nottingham, Plymouth and Sheffield, together with the National Centre for Social Research and Metro Dynamics
Mapping climate risk & vulnerability onto the West Midlands transport network
Full text linkTransportation is a cornerstone of modern society, allowing people to access education, healthcare, leisure activities,
employment, and more. Extreme weather such as high temperatures, high winds, heavy rainfall and associated hazards such as flooding, landslips, and treefall and debris cause damage and disruption to transport networks. Transport
organisations must manage these climate hazards alongside other factors such as maintaining ageing infrastructure and
increasing electrification to meet Net Zero targets
Geographical inequalities and sub-national funding in France
Full text linkThe aim of this review is to draw out lessons for England, and the UK more broadly, in terms of how funding mechanisms can be used to better address spatial inequalities. The review is based on desk research of academic and policy publications, as well as 11 interviews conducted with French academics and policy experts in summer-winter 2024.
The review highlights several key issues relevant to the UK and English context, including how fiscal equalisation mechanisms and local fiscal autonomy and flexibility can support national government in addressing geographical inequalities. The report also provides insights into how the state can help local authorities with less capacity / expertise by providing support with developing funding bids. Accessing support from civil servants based regionally who have a strong understanding of regional needs can help facilitate relationship building and enable the development of stronger, more regionally responsive bids.
This report is for the Improving Public Funding Allocations to Reduce Geographical Inequalities project funded by the ESRC.
The project brings together a highly experienced interdisciplinary team from the Universities of Birmingham, Bristol, De Montfort, Newcastle, Nottingham, Plymouth and Sheffield, together with the National Centre for Social Research and Metro Dynamics
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