The £800k ‘Communities Innovating Yorkshire Fund’ will launch on 3 February 2025. This fund will be an opportunity for additional innovative emerging projects, studies, activities, and ideas that reflect the Yorkshire Policy Innovation Partnership’s (YPIP) focus on accelerating community-led inclusive and sustainable growth.
Y-PERN and YPIP are enhancing collaboration between university academics and policymakers in Yorkshire and the Humber to develop evidence-based policies that benefit local communities. With £4 million in funding, Y-PERN connects policymakers and academics through a network including 11 policy fellows and an academic steering group. YPIP has secured £5 million in funding to build on Y-PERN’s efforts, creating a Local Innovation Partnership that involves all Yorkshire universities and addresses inclusive growth, sustainable living, and data analytics, with a focus on marginalized communities.
Projects must align with one of the 5 YPIP themes:
Data informatics
Inclusive business practices
Creative industries
Sustainable living
Communities in their places.
Projects must bring together a collaboration of different stakeholders through meaningful community engagement. Proposals will be submitted via an online application form and assessed against 5 criteria by a decision panel which will include Co-directors, Co-Investigators and members of the community panel.
There will be two funding pathways to be inclusive of grassroot and larger scale community organisations to demonstrate their innovative ideas: seedcorn projects of up to £10k, and larger projects of up to £50k. The spending deadline for funded projects is expected to be autumn 2026.
Watch this space for further updates on the fund, and please do give a heads up to partners who are working across our themes in the region.
Do you have ideas about how to improve your community? Would you like to see better jobs in your area or find ways to live in a greener way?
The Yorkshire Policy Innovation Partnership (YPIP) project brings universities, communities, voluntary organisations, businesses and councils together to work on place-based initiatives.
Y-PERN and YPIP are enhancing collaboration between university academics and policymakers in Yorkshire and the Humber to develop evidence-based policies that benefit local communities. With £4 million in funding, Y-PERN connects policymakers and academics through a network including 11 policy fellows and an academic steering group. YPIP has secured £5 million in funding to build on Y-PERN’s efforts, creating a Local Innovation Partnership that involves all Yorkshire universities and addresses inclusive growth, sustainable living, and data analytics, with a focus on marginalized communities.
At the heart of the YPIP project is a community panel where we will listen, learn and make decisions together to shape local and regional policy. If this sounds interesting, we would love to hear from you.
The aim is to ensure that local people have an equal say in improving their communities and bringing better employment, sustainable living and inclusive growth to their areas.
The community panel is a group of 24 people from across Yorkshire and from all walks of life. It will make decisions about how the project runs and how we can improve our communities by agreeing on good practice examples of living and working sustainably in our communities.
Panel members will receive training and support with quarterly meetings throughout the project. Panel members will be paid a fee of £15 an hour for their time and their expenses will be reimbursed
Find out more about the person and role specification, and express your interest in joining the panel by contacting Ben Jessop [email protected]
The University of Leeds and Leeds City Council have launched a new framework setting out how they will work together to mobilise the research expertise of the University to address the challenges faced by Leeds City Council and the city.
Tackling the challenges facing our city together
Times are challenging for local authorities, Leeds included, with increased need for services juxtaposed against years of austerity and constrained finances. Whilst things are undeniably tough, there are also reasons to be optimistic with new opportunities arising from continued devolution and an increased focus on place by the new Government and research funders.
As anchor institutions, the University of Leeds and Leeds City Council both have a strong stake in the city’s future success. By working together, and with other city partners, we want to deliver real lasting improvements in the lives of people and communities in Leeds and the wider region.
To achieve this, we are seeking to better leverage the University’s research capability and expertise to power evidence-informed policy development to tackle poverty, inequality, and other pressing challenges.
“Our Leeds Best City Ambition sets out our priorities for the city, which can only be achieved alongside others through our Team Leeds approach. Our continued collaboration with academic institutions across the city enables us to work towards achieving our ambitions, building upon the huge strengths, influence and potential that our academic assets bring. The strength of the ongoing partnership with the University of Leeds continues to deepen, with the launch of the Research Collaboration Framework setting the clear foundations, opportunities and existing successes for us to continue to build upon. The financial challenge being faced by the public and third sector is greater than ever, which is why we need to continue to work together to make evidence informed decisions, allowing us to adapt to the changing needs of our communities and ensure that our shared goals are delivered in the most effective way.”
Mariana Pexton, Interim Chief Executive, Leeds City Council
Innovating how we work together to get things done
The University of Leeds and Leeds City Council have a long history of working together. A review of collaborative research between the two organisations in 2020 noted 118 joint research projects that were ongoing or completed in the previous 5 years. The review also made a series of recommendations on how we could enhance and accelerate collaboration.
Prompted by these recommendations, we have made significant progress in strengthening opportunities to work together and extending these to include a more diverse range of colleagues.
Developing Areas of Research Interest
Responding to the recommendation to identify the Council’s knowledge needs and priorities for collaboration, we have been leading the way in developing Areas of Research Interest at a Local Authority level.
Areas of Research Interest, or ARI, originally came out of the Nurse Review in 2015 as a way for Government departments to improve their dialogue with researchers. The Government Office of Science provides guidance for the Government department but no official guidance exists for Local Authorities (for more on ARI read our blog: Capturing the ARI zeitgeist).
The University of Leeds has been working closely with the Council since 2022 to support them to develop their own Leeds City Council Areas of Research Interest (LCC ARI). These identify areas where further knowledge and evidence would help Leeds City Council colleagues develop more effective policy and activity. They form an invite to researchers to share existing research evidence or to discuss opportunities to collaborate.
Whilst this work has emerged from the bi-lateral collaboration, it is intended to make it easy for researchers from any University to see what the Council’s interests are and get in touch.
With the ARI as a clear guide to the priorities and needs of Leeds City Council, we have been able to respond by allotting a portion of the University of Leeds’s Research England policy support fund allocation to projects addressing aspects of the LCC ARI. A list of projects funded since 2022 are available on the Policy Leeds Policy Support Fund page and represent an investment of just over £1 million over the three years. These projects are helping inform Leeds City Council’s thinking and have led to further collaborations.
Providing a clear map for engagement
Unlike Parliament and National Government, which have clear opportunities for researchers to share evidence via Select Committee inquiries or Government consultations, routes to engaging with local authorities are less well developed. Similarly, Universities are large and complex organisations, which can make it hard for Council colleagues trying to find someone to talk to with the right expertise. This risks fragmented engagement based on personal relationships that are lost as colleagues move on to different roles or institutions.
To establish a more resilient and transparent route for engagement, the framework defines institutional collaboration contacts to act as a first port of call for questions or to facilitate introductions: Policy Leeds acts as the contact point for University of Leeds colleagues interested in engaging with Leeds City Council.
In addition to the Areas of Research Interest, the framework sets out some of the other routes that exist for University and Council colleagues to engage so they can share expertise and develop collaborative activity. These include:
Matching interested colleagues to share knowledge and ideas
Submitting evidence to Leeds City Council scrutiny boards’ inquiries
Contributing to expert groups or policy forum meetings
Undertaking placements or secondments
By making such routes of engagement more visible we hope to enable more researchers to share relevant evidence and expertise in a timely way to inform Leeds City Council’s activities and to build fruitful collaborations.
“At the heart of our University strategy is the desire to harness expertise in research and education to help shape a better future for humanity, and working through collaboration to tackle inequalities, benefit society and drive change.
This collaboration framework with Leeds City Council will further enhance how we work collaboratively with partners across the region, to leverage our strengths and expertise to support policy making that addresses the pressing challenges facing the city, region and its people. This framework will help to strengthen collaboration opportunities and enable policy makers to access the research and expertise needed for evidence-based decisions that drive benefit to the region for growth, and the public good.”
Nick Plant, Deputy Vice Chancellor: Research and Innovation and Chair of Collaboration Steering Committee, University of Leeds
The University of Leeds Parkinson Building in autumn.
Continuously learning and sharing
Learning how to best work together will be a continuous journey and innovation won’t always be a smooth road. We will continue to trial new ways of working alongside refining the routes we have already established.
As well as celebrating successes, we will share our progress and learning to help others interested in developing their own approaches to research-policy engagement at the local authority level.
Keep an eye on Policy Leeds communications to stay informed and learn about future work or opportunities to get involved.
All part of one Team Leeds
While the new framework is centred on the relationship between the University of Leeds and Leeds City Council, the strategic collaboration is not isolated but situated within a very active landscape of other collaborations and initiatives. We will seek to make the most of being an integrated and connected part of this wider collaborative ecosystem, and welcome working with other partners and communities within the city and region.
The challenges we need to address are far bigger than any one or even two organisations can tackle on their own. Only by working together and as part of a wider Team Leeds will we be able to deliver the Best City Ambition for Leeds to be the Best City in the UK to live, work, and prosper.
A toolkit for researchers wanting to expand their policy engagement knowledge and practice can be found on the Policy Leeds Resources page.
University of Leeds researchers can find a guide to the systems and support available within the University to facilitate collaborative research with external partners on the resources for collaboration intranet page.
Y-PERN is transforming the way academic researchers and knowledge exchange experts in the 12 Yorkshire and Humber universities work in partnership with policymakers in the region.
The deepening of devolution across our region presents a unique opportunity to co-create evidence based policies that bring real benefits to communities.
Despite facing unique challenges, female entrepreneurs are at the forefront of creating innovative solutions and spearheading sustainable development in York and North Yorkshire – according to the findings of a new report.
The report was a collaboration between Enterprise Works at the University of York, Federation of Small Businesses, Y-PERN (Yorkshire and Humber Policy Engagement and Research Network) and mnAi.
Professor Kiran Trehan, PVC for Enterprise, Partnerships and Engagement at the University of York and member of the Y-PERN Directorate, comments:
“We have reached a tipping point, where governments, business support organisations and female entrepreneurs themselves realise the enormous value of female enterprise to the regional and national economy. It is vital for the future success of the region that we have a clear, data-driven understanding of the needs of this community, to ensure that we maximise our, and their, chances of success and drive inclusive growth for all.”
A unique set of challenges
Female entrepreneurs face a set of key challenges and systemic and structural barriers that are adversely impacting their businesses. There are 23,562 fewer self-employed women than men in YNY, with men nearly twice as likely to be self-employed. According to mnAi data, in YNY, only £62k of equity was raised by female-led organisations, compared to £3.8m male-led organisations and £1.8m by those led by a mix of genders.
The report team therefore set out to investigate the myriad factors influencing female entrepreneurship, including the barriers they face, potential policy solutions and in upholding ecosystems that support their success.
Research informed by participant engagement
The team undertook fieldwork including community consultations that took the form of focus groups with female entrepreneurs; a survey with a specific focus on place-based challenges; and a participatory workshop focused on the core challenges.
Dr Rebecca Kerr, Y-PERN Policy Fellow based at the University of York and York St John University, was involved in the report and the design and delivery of the workshop. She comments:
“Research in this area generally exists at a national scale, but there’s clear demand for more place-based evidence which can inform sub-regional policy – as shown by the positive and enthused engagement from some of our region’s female entrepreneurs at the workshop we held at York’s historic Guildhall.
“Throughout the workshop, women noted that they wanted support and mentorship from other women in business. This sentiment was placed to the heart of this research undertaken, where each stage of research design was informed by participant engagement to ensure we were asking the right questions and collecting the most appropriate data.”
A roadmap to inclusive growth
The report outlines seven priority areas to better support existing and future female entrepreneurs across the region, including:
Struggling with confidence
Difficult pathways to self-employment
Understanding and access to finance
Understanding and investing in customer acquisition, retention and pricing
Quality and availability of various forms of local infrastructure
Quality and availability of mentorship
Managing business administration
Ultimately, the report seeks to serve as a catalyst for change and present the foundation for a roadmap to more inclusive and prosperous growth across the region – with the recently installed York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority (YNYCA) well placed to action the policy interventions highlighted. Indeed, Dr Kerr and members of the Y-PERN team worked closely with the YNYCA transition team and continue to do so, on issues such as inclusive growth, community engagement, education and poverty. Some of these themes will be explored further as Y-PERN’s flagship project YPIP (Yorkshire and Humber Policy Innovation Partnership) gets underway, which is engaging directly with community groups and aiming to create an Inclusive Business Network to drive inclusive growth across Yorkshire and the Humber.
Professor Trehan concludes: “We look forward to continuing our support for female entrepreneurs and fostering an inclusive entrepreneurial landscape where everyone has the opportunity to succeed.”
Connecting creative musical talent with regional opportunities is the aim of a new network delivered by Y-PERN partners Leeds Conservatoire and West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA).
It brings together everyone in the region’s music industry, from creative organisations and freelancers to venues and communities.
Launched by Mayor Tracy Brabin in collaboration with Leeds Conservatoire, Come Play With Me, and CREATEBritain, the regional network will be a central hub for music industry professionals to share knowledge and insight, create opportunities and collaborate.
Open to creatives at any career stage, the network will encourage inclusivity across West Yorkshire’s music sector, with activity tailored towards underrepresented groups and those facing barriers to opportunities. It will also seek to attract national music sector activity at conferences and events across the region, while supporting creatives to represent West Yorkshire at national and international music events.
The West Yorkshire Music Network is part of Mayor Tracy Brabin’s £2.3 million ‘You Can Make It Here’ programme, designed to support and drive growth across the region’s creative sector.
Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said:
“We’re giving a voice to music professionals in West Yorkshire, and helping them to collaborate on opportunities and unleash their full potential.
“There is so much talent and ambition in our region, and this network will help to drive opportunities, growth and inward investment.
“This new network is an opportunity for our incredible musicians and backstage creatives to thrive in their careers, as we work to build a stronger, brighter West Yorkshire that works for all.”
James Warrender, Head of Strategic Partnerships and Enterprise at Leeds Conservatoire, said:
“The aim is for the network to be diverse and representative of the brilliantly broad variety of music related activities that take place within the region.
“It’s an opportunity to bring existing networks together with new voices, really promote the success stories, but to also unite in solving the challenges.”
Tony Ereira, CEO of Come Play With Me CIC, said:
“There is such a wonderful mix of diverse music adjacent activity happening on our doorsteps here in West Yorkshire and I am so excited about how the Network can celebrate everyone involved, introducing opportunities locally, regionally and nationally – be they a large music organisation with a huge team or a freelancer juggling multiple roles.
“At a time when arts funding and education is in a critical condition across the country, having been undervalued nationally for years, we really value the Mayor and Combined Authority recognising the need to give the music sector a much-needed voice to come together and demonstrate the significant potential it has to add value across the region.”
Jeremy Aird, Founder, CREATEBritain, said:
“At CREATEBritain, our goal is to help energise and network creatives at every level across the country and work with ambitious partners like West Yorkshire to deliver real goals for real people.
“Together we are lighting the fuse on a fantastic new community – West Yorkshire Music Network. A place for anything and everything music related to thrive, a critical local resource that also delivers nationally and globally.
“Driving real change and creating opportunity for all of our musicians starts with bold, unapologetic creativity and a platform that can grow and deliver the features they need to succeed.”
Further ‘You Can Make It Here’ initiatives in the pipeline include opportunities for young people to boost their skills and progress into creative roles, while businesses and freelancers will benefit from investment, expert advice and training to unleash their potential.
To find out more and join the West Yorkshire Music Network click here
A comprehensive plan for Yorkshire and the Humber to respond to the climate and nature crises has received unanimous support from leaders of the region’s 15 local authorities and mayors of combined authorities.
The report was published by Yorkshire & Humber Climate Commission – a key partner of Y-PERN – and provides a “strategic framework for action” according to Yorkshire Leaders Board Co-Chair Cllr Carl Les (North Yorkshire Council).
He added: “We know we need to go further and faster in responding to the challenges ahead. We also know that we will only achieve the change required at the pace and scale that is needed by working together across political, social, and economic boundaries, involving organisations from different sectors, and finding ways to effectively collaborate.”
The Climate Action Plan presents a holistic perspective, highlighting how whole society, whole place actions can enable us to rapidly reduce emissions, become adaptive to climate impacts whilst protecting and restoring nature, and ensuring climate action is fair and involves communities.
By the region, for the region
“Our updated Climate Action Plan is the culmination of a huge volume of work that we have undertaken during our first few years. It has very much been designed by the region, for the region,” said Rosa Foster, Director of Yorkshire & Humber Climate Commission.
“We have aimed to be transparent through all our work, hearing from 96 experts from a wide range of backgrounds and sectors to explore a programme of 22 topics ranging from skills to nature’s recovery, from emergency planning to transport. We have shared the recordings of these technical briefings online and summarised the findings into a series of draft reports which we’ve shared for comment on our public engagement platform.
“This updated Climate Action Plan is a synthesis of those sessions and the wider work that the Commission has facilitated and enabled during its first three years.”
The plan combines knowledge and feedback from:
194 Commissioners and Commission members
96 experts from academia, businesses, organisations and groups (equivalent to more than 1,000 hours of expert input)
nearly 1,500 contributions by Yorkshire and the Humber citizens via surveys
15 Commission meetings
24 public events.
Evidence of impact
The Yorkshire & Humber Climate Commission produced its first Climate Action Plan in November 2021 and has already proved its worth as a unifying framework of action across the region. Examples of its use include:
mobilising action in the social housing sector
securing funding for multiple projects (revenue and capital) including the Yorkshire Policy Innovation Partnership
organisations and local authorities using the plan to inform and shape their own strategies and plans
informing the strategic thinking of Local Resilience Forums
creating a platform for Yorkshire & Humber Climate Commission to build momentum and collaborations, including the Planning Policy Principles with all local authorities.
The updated plan builds on the successes and ambition of the original and represents a considerable evolution in breadth and approach. Nature and a just transition are given equal coverage alongside rapid emissions reduction and climate adaptation – making the plan truly unique. Each of the seven objectives has a clear articulation of the challenge and opportunity, how we will know that we are succeeding (what good change looks like) and the actions that will get us on the right path.
The highly illustrated 96-page report is accessible and relatable, with 60 actions for businesses, public sector organisations, third sector (charities and community interest companies), communities, volunteer groups and individuals. It also uses case studies from across Yorkshire and the Humber to provide inspiring examples of positive action that’s already happening across the region.
‘Huge opportunities’
Like the Commission’s other recent report, Our Carbon Story, the plan tells a positive story about how Yorkshire and the Humber can achieve these ambitions, including reaching net zero by 2038 (the regional target) and generating billions in co-benefits for people, nature, and the economy, a message that resonates with the Yorkshire Leaders Board.
“There are huge opportunities for our region in this transition,” said Yorkshire Leaders Board Co-Chair Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council) in a statement of support for the action plan. “We can address the climate crisis in ways that create new jobs and economic opportunities and improve the health and wellbeing of our communities. We can become climate ready and create places in which everyone can thrive across our great region.”
For the Commission, Rosa Foster said: “A top-down, one-size-fits-all approach won’t solve the challenges unique to different parts of the UK, particularly in such a large and varied region as Yorkshire and the Humber. We have a clear plan for our region, and we are doing what we can with what we have got. Whilst we will continue to do this, we will only get so far without the support of national government to help our institutions to go further, faster.
“We are grateful that the University of Leeds is one of the major regional anchor institutions already showing the way, by committing to supporting our team to 2030 as part of the Net Zero City element of its own Climate Plan.”
Mayoral approval
The Commission’s update report has already been embraced by the region’s mayors, who cite the value it adds to their own climate ambitions.
Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said: “Here in West Yorkshire, we’re investing now for the long-term, helping households reduce their energy bills and upskilling people for the green jobs of the future.
“But to achieve our ambition of net zero by 2038, we need to work across regional boundaries and harness the power of renewables, putting the North of England at the heart of an industrial revolution once again.
“So I welcome this new Yorkshire-wide Climate Action Plan, and I pledge to do all I can in partnership with other Northern leaders to decarbonise our economy and lead the UK into a just and green transition.”
David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, said: “York and North Yorkshire is in a prime position to support national and global efforts to combat climate change, even going beyond net zero and becoming England’s first carbon negative region. Our work, which will see a refreshed Routemap to Carbon Negative developed over the next year, sits well alongside this new Climate Action Plan for Yorkshire. Working together, we can create a greener economy for the benefit of all our communities.”
Oliver Coppard, South Yorkshire’s Mayor, said: “The way our climate is changing is not just a challenge but an opportunity. We can make South Yorkshire cleaner, greener, wealthier and healthier. But, we can only achieve that change by working together.
“South Yorkshire is already home to the largest clean tech cluster in the UK and we are speaking to our communities about how we develop our Local Nature Recovery Strategy together.
“But I know we need to go further and faster with that urgent work. That’s why I am pleased to welcome this new Yorkshire-wide Climate Action plan and throw the support of South Yorkshire behind it.”
A living plan
The Yorkshire and Humber Climate Action Plan is also being sent to all 58 of the region’s MPs and the Commission hopes it will encourage them to use it as a resource in their own constituencies, as well as informing their work.
The plan was presented at a meeting of the Yorkshire & Humber Climate Commission in Leeds on 18 September. Liz Barber, the outgoing Chair of the Commission, said: “Three years on from the start of Yorkshire and Humber Climate Commission and we have learnt a tremendous amount. We know we need to do more, and quickly. This is a living plan that will help you to do just that.”
Universities UK (UUK) has published its Higher Education and Research Blueprint which sets out a package of reform, aiming to stabilise, mobilise and then maximise the contribution of UK universities to economic growth and widening opportunity for all.
It includes recommendations on how universities can do more to break down barriers to opportunity, help boost the economy, train the doctors and nurses of the future and support the drive to net zero. Achieving this, the blueprint says, will require the sector to change, becoming more efficient, collaborating more and transforming ways of working.
The Blueprint also calls on the UK government to stabilise the sector’s finances and increase direct public funding in England so the cost of going to university is rebalanced towards government instead of students.
Critical partners in local growth plans
One of three ‘key ideas’ in the report is for universities to work more closely in local areas with businesses, chambers of commerce and metro mayors to make the strongest possible contribution to growth at local and regional levels. Indeed, Chapter 3, ‘Generating local growth ‘notes that to maximise their contribution, universities need to be embedded as key partners with MCAs and local authorities, are well positioned to put themselves forward as critical partners in local growth plans,’ – citing Y-PERN as an example of this.
For example, South Yorkshire Combined Authority’s (SYMCA) Skills Strategy was devised to help build a better, not just a bigger economy in the region. Y-PERN colleagues were actively involved in supporting the development of the Skills Strategy for as well as a Plan for Good Growth. They delivered a range of activities including an evidence briefing on skills and labour market ecosystems and a series of workshops feeding into the Skills Strategy design
Meanwhile, the West Yorkshire Plan sets out an ambitious vision and five missions for 2040 that will transform lives and communities across the region. Y-PERN and West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) are working together on this vision through a systems of provision approach, which will ultimately feed into a Local Growth Plan (LGP) for the region. By analysing the underlying structures and relationships within a system, wider determinants of complex problems can be identified rather than merely addressing symptoms.
SYIP will provide opportunities for businesses to engage in and benefit from innovation-led growth, driving innovation led-activities. It will build upon a successful track record of delivering innovation support to SMEs in the region.
The programme is a collaboration led by Sheffield Hallam University with the University of Sheffield and Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council – all key Y-PERN partners.
SYIP will provide opportunities for businesses to engage in and benefit from innovation-led growth, driving innovation led activities. It will build upon a successful track record of delivering innovation support to SMEs in the region.
The programme will provide access to high-quality and bespoke innovation support including academic consultancy, innovation audits, student projects and placements, access to university equipment and facilities, events and technical workshops.
Support will be available to organisations of all sizes across all sectors based in South Yorkshire, including charities and social enterprises. Further details on the launch of the programme and how organisations can access support will follow later this year.
“It’s vital we bring together our world-leading universities and local authorities to help our local businesses harness innovation” – Oliver Coppard.
Partnerships to drive growth
The project is one of several partnerships between Sheffield’s universities, local authorities and South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) aimed at driving economic growth and inward investment into South Yorkshire.
Others include:
The Sheffield Innovation Spine, a long-term spatial and economic strategy to create and link the infrastructure required to grow knowledge-led businesses
Innovation Network South Yorkshire which brings together academics, businesses and organisations at free networking events to encourage collaboration.
Yorkshire & Humber Policy Engagement & Research Network, which is transforming the way university academic experts and policymakers in work together (including those at Sheffield Hallam University, University of Sheffield and the local authorities of Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield)
Harnessing technology and innovation
South Yorkshire’s Mayor, Oliver Coppard, said: “We are getting on with the job of building a bigger, better economy in South Yorkshire. But we can’t build a new future without new ideas.
“That’s why it’s vital we bring together our world-leading universities and local authorities to help our local businesses harness innovation. The South Yorkshire Innovation Programme will help our businesses to create the future here, right here.
“I’m determined to build a South Yorkshire that works together to spread wealth, opportunity and success to all our communities.”
Professor Rory Duncan, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Knowledge Exchange at Sheffield Hallam University, said: “At a time of rapid advancements across an ever-increasing range of sectors, the ability to innovate and harness new technology is more important than ever for businesses of all sizes.
“Sheffield Hallam is delighted to be leading this new programme fostering stronger partnerships between academia and business. This collaboration aims to translate cutting-edge research and knowledge into tangible solutions that address the unique challenges of our region’s businesses.”
Professor Ashutosh Tiwari, Deputy Vice-President for Innovation at the University of Sheffield, said: “The University of Sheffield has a proven track record of partnering with local organisations to drive innovation and boost economic growth. This collaborative programme offers an exciting opportunity to build on our successes.
“We’re very much looking forward to working closely with some of South Yorkshire’s innovative organisations to help them adapt and thrive as the challenges they face continue to evolve. Together, we can turn our world-leading research into practical solutions to address the region’s specific needs, while strengthening South Yorkshire’s position as a hub for innovation.”
Tackling productivity challenges
Cllr Robin Franklin, Cabinet Spokesperson for Regeneration and Culture at Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council, said: “This is a fantastic programme for businesses who are looking to innovate and increase productivity by accessing technologies and dedicated one to one support. Our Enterprising Barnsley team will lead the technical expertise though the innovation spaces at the DMC, bringing value through our wide-reaching network of specialists.
“We’ve already seen businesses making the most of the MakerLab and CreatorLab to diversify their business offer, develop new products, and tackle productivity challenges. Now we have a programme which opens that opportunity for even more businesses, whilst bringing three new jobs into the Enterprising Barnsley team to drive further innovation into the region.
“We’ll be hosting a number of workshops and events to welcome business to the spaces, encouraging those who typically haven’t engaged with modern technologies such as 3D scanning and printing, Internet of Things devices, and laser cutters, to come and explore what is available to them at the DMC in Barnsley.”
Yorkshire and the Humber can reach net zero in 15 years, generating billions in co-benefits for people, nature, and the economy – according to a report by Yorkshire & Humber Climate Commission (a Y-PERN partner).
The region has an ambitious target to achieve net zero emissions by 2038, which can be achieved through ‘economically sound’ investments, more than a third of which pay for themselves.
As well as presenting clear and achievable pathways to net zero, a new report from Yorkshire & Humber Climate Commission reveals that consumption emissions add 38% to the regional carbon footprint. Emissions from transport and homes (especially the use of gas) account for almost half of these. Contributions from meat-eating, hobbies and pets, and aviation, among others, are also evaluated.
Our Carbon Story reveals £7.3bn will be needed annually to 2038, and that a longer-term view of economic benefits needs to be taken to evaluate paybacks. The figure equates to just under 3% of regional GDP; by 2038 this will be compensated for by the value of the energy savings alone.
If Yorkshire and the Humber seizes the opportunity, by 2050 (the national net zero target) the region will already have created a conservative £250bn in co-benefits, particularly from health and wellbeing. Changes within the transport sector offer the biggest opportunity for unlocking these co-benefits through interventions that are low-cost, financially attractive, and straightforward.
Emissions overall have halved since 1990, meaning the region must go four times faster between now and 2038 to reach net zero.
Reducing Yorkshire and the Humber’s carbon emissions can also provide big wins for nature, if done well. Biodiversity can be boosted by improving farming practices, changing some land use away from animal agriculture to broadleaf woodlands, and from protecting and restoring wetlands and peatlands.
The report calls for a ‘mission-driven’ approach to rapidly reduce emissions, scale up investment and enable deeper and faster changes.
“Accelerating delivery to achieve the 2038 target increases the urgency of upfront investment in some measures – but it will also allow the co-benefits and savings to take effect sooner,” said Rosa Foster, Director of the Yorkshire & Humber Climate Commission.
“It presents a perfect opportunity to unlock the potential of the region, so benefiting the UK economy as a whole.
“Our Carbon Story clearly demonstrates that it is both technically and economically feasible to achieve this regional net zero target. That strongly suggests that it is process, prioritisation, perspective, and governance that are the main barriers to realising our goal.
“The good news is that these are things within our gift to change. With the support of the Yorkshire & Humber Climate Commission, the region is ready and keen to work with the Government to deliver.
“If we do, our collective carbon story can still be a positive one.”
The report is underpinned by a carbon reduction assessment for Yorkshire and the Humber by independent academics, with research on consumption emissions by Dr Anne Owen of the University of Leeds.
Detailed sector briefings will be made available in the autumn, when the Commission will also be presenting the findings to MPs at Westminster for Parliamentary Evidence Week.
YPIP: Sustainable Living in a Greener Economy
The report also reveals that 87% of our emissions in Yorkshire and the Humber come from three sectors: industry (33%), transport (29%) and buildings (25%). Land use and agriculture emissions contribute a further 9%.
It goes on to say that retrofitting the region’s building stock is the single biggest area where investment is needed.
Notably this is key strand of YPIP (a project of Y-PERN), which brings together YHCC, the University of York’s Stockholm Environment Institute, Leeds Sustainability Institute and Leeds Beckett University. Working in tandem with community groups and policy makers, YPIP will examine how heritage buildings can meet Net Zero targets and be more energy efficient without damaging structures or impinging on their character. The work will initially be piloted in the City of York and in the rural areas of North Yorkshire, given the number of historical buildings in this part of the region, before being rolled out to other parts of Yorkshire and the Humber.
