University of Hull’s First Hull Poverty Truth Commission Evaluation Report has now been published.
Written by Dr Gill Hughes and Y-PERN Policy Fellow Dr Juan Pablo Winter, the report discusses how the first Hull Poverty Truth Commission has inspired a major cultural shift to ensure that people who experience the impact of decisions should be part of the decision-making process.
The evaluation report shows how a ‘new business as usual’ is unfolding and speaks to the statement that the Poverty Truth Network (PTN) embraced:
You can also find out more about the story of the first Hull Poverty Truth Commission by viewing the University of Hull commissioned film “My pockets” here >
The film identifies the process as an ‘engine switch’ not a ‘paint job’ – this is about a participatory needs-led approach that shifts power through equitable trusting relationships to create transformative systems change.
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.
Y-PERN Policy Fellows are impact-focused academic positions working across Y-PERN partner institutions and policy organisations, reflecting the increasing importance of the impact agenda in academia. They form a bridge between academia and the policy world with the aim of enhancing the contribution of academic research to support evidence based policymaking across the region.
As the Bradford Y-PERN Policy Fellow this role will coordinate and deliver the University of Bradford’s work within and across the network. The post will work closely within the University with Professor David Spicer, the Y-PERN academic lead at the University of Bradford, the Y PERN Chief Policy Fellow, and with other Y-PERN Policy Fellows across the network.
The University of Bradford focus within Y-PERN is on the policy and engagement support for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) and on the potential and impact of the Bradford 2025 city of culture on the small business economy for Bradford and Yorkshire and Humber more widely. The role will be responsible for leading your own programme of research focussed on local Bradford business, as well as contributing to wider Y-PERN policy research objectives and representing the University of Bradford when working with external partners and wider networks.
In an election year in which climate policies are a key issue, the Yorkshire & Humber Climate Commission (a Y-PERN partner) is helping voters to cut through the noise.
Climate Talking Points calls for four key changes to national policy crucial for making real progress on climate and nature in Yorkshire and the Humber.
“We know there is not only consensus on what we need to do, but also plenty of evidence to support the policy changes. “
Rosa Foster, Director of YHCC
Evidence shows that people want action on climate. Without a change in national policy, Yorkshire and the UK are in danger of failing to meet climate targets and missing out on significant economic and social benefits.
“It’s imperative that we act fast, that we act now, and that everyone plays their part,” said Rosa Foster, Director of the Yorkshire & Humber Climate Commission (YHCC), which is an independent and politically neutral advisory body run by a secretariat at the University of Leeds.
“We work closely with organisations across all sectors, as well as with local authorities and local politicians in the Yorkshire and Humber region. We know there is not only consensus on what we need to do, but also plenty of evidence to support the policy changes. What’s needed now is for people on the doorstep to press for these and make sure the messages hit home.”
Crucially, YHCC is a key partner in the Yorkshire and Humber Policy Engagement and Research Network (Y-PERN). Y-PERN is bringing in expertise across a range of specialisms – climate, health, education, biodiversity etc – as well as communities and those with lived experiences, to inform local policy.
Regional action
The Climate Talking Points briefing, which will be presented at an online event on 13 March, states that rapid decarbonisation, prioritising nature, and building resilience are key issues – and that investment in these areas will create new jobs and business opportunities, lower energy bills, and bring down costs associated with poor health and climate impacts.
The Commission also says it is crucial to ensure that climate action reduces inequalities and helps people to pursue healthy, fulfilling lives.
Encouraging action is already taking place across Yorkshire and the Humber, with local and combined authorities investing in climate friendly measures such as the Leeds PIPES district heating network, and grants for reducing emissions aimed at small businesses in South Yorkshire. The South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority has also run its own climate-themed citizens’ assembly.
In Hull, the Living with Water project is tackling adaptation to climate impacts, while the major industries around the Humber have big plans to get to net zero emissions, which are particularly important for the region’s role in global climate action.
And in York, the City of York Council, with partners on the Retrofit One Stop Shop York (ROSSY) project, has been awarded £3.37 million from Innovate UK to support, promote and encourage retrofitting work to homes across the city, helping residents to save money and to move the city towards net zero, while upskilling the sector with the latest techniques.
Cllr Claire Douglas, Leader of City of York Council and a YHCC vice-chair, said:
“Climate Talking Points provide the opportunity for wide-ranging debates about the existential challenge facing humankind as we look to the future. Not only do they provide regional government, campaigning and other organisations with a framework for what needs to happen, they provide guidance to national policy makers and Government in how to deliver the change required if we’re to halt the increasingly dangerous warming of our planet.
“I hope the public and decision makers will embrace Climate Talking Points and the direction they point us towards in delivering the economic, environmental and social benefits for Yorkshire and Humber of living in a cleaner world”.
Cllr Jack Hemingway, Deputy Leader of Wakefield Council and also a YHCC vice-chair, said:
“We are really proud to have three West Yorkshire authorities ranked A by CDP [Carbon Disclosure Project] for global leadership – but we know we need to go further and faster. The Climate Talking Points enable us to have that conversation.”
Cllr Paul West, Councillor for Wolds Weighton Ward and another YHCC vice-chair, said:
“As we enter spring in a few weeks’ time, we can all reflect on the turbulence that climate change has caused over the winter period. Displacing people, damaging ecosystems, creating uncertainty for millions of people. It is vitally important that we all play our part in reducing our impact on the planet. Through the work of the Yorkshire & Humber Climate Commission we can all add our voices to help shape our planet and region for generations to come.”
What policy changes are needed to unlock climate action across Yorkshire and the Humber?
In its Climate Talking Points briefing, the Commission has identified four key policy changes:
Set out a clear pathway for reducing emissions and restoring nature and empower places to use local targets and go further and faster than national government if they wish.
Create locally managed funding pots to allow key sectors to get on with acting, rather than wasting time competing and bidding for multiple, disjointed funding sources.
Join up climate, skills and economy strategies to ensure they address the big challenges (poverty, ageing population, skills shortages and climate risks) together.
Commit to a nature-first approach to infrastructure projects so that they can cope with future climate scenarios and nature is woven into all climate action.
Over the past decade, investment in university policy engagement has enhanced the capacity of researchers and institutions to deliver real benefits and growth for citizens and communities across the country. This has been achieved through the gathering of knowledge and insight to support policymaking as well as the cross-pollination of ideas and sharing of expertise between a range of public, private and community stakeholders at local, regional and national levels.
This significant investment in the Yorkshire and Humber Policy Innovation Partnership (YPIP) will further harness the power of research and innovation across our region. YPIP has adopted ‘communities in their places’ as its cross-cutting theme. This will involve building structures and processes that empower low-income, marginalised and geographically isolated communities across the region. Given this overarching focus, YPIP will undertake initiatives in three substantive areas.
“We want to make a difference on the inclusive growth and sustainability living challenges facing people across the region.”
Professor Gary Dymski, YPIP Principal Investigator
A stepwise approach to change
First, in laying the foundations for change, YPIP is currently working with local authorities, the Yorkshire and Humber Climate Commission (YHCC) and Yorkshire & Humber Policy Engagement & Research Network (Y-PERN) to create an integrated Data Informatics Hub for the region. YPIP will then develop the Yorkshire Engagement Portal as an ‘active’ platform for stakeholder engagement, especially from community members.
Second, with a focus on supporting inclusive growth, YPIP will adopt ‘What works’ inclusive business practices. This will be achieved through the creation of business partnerships and networks that can spread inclusive practices across the region. Support will also be provided for younger residents who are intent on building careers via the creative economy and entrepreneurship, using Bradford2025 ‘UK City of Culture’ as an entry point to develop region-wide inclusive networks.
Members of the YPIP team at the LPIP launch in central London in February
Third, to support sustainable living, YPIP and YHCC will work together to identify cost-effective retrofit interventions for a range of places and building types, generating standards that can unlock net zero carbon and climate readiness measures. Place-based demonstrators of Net Zero initiatives will also be undertaken.
Collaborate to innovate
Overall, YPIP represents a concerted effort by a unique team of collaborating institutions, organizations, and individuals across Yorkshire and the Humber. Professor Gary Dymski of Leeds University Business School at the University of Leeds is the principal investigator and is working closely with YPIP co-director Kersten England, chair of Bradford2025, board chair of the Young Foundation and appointee of (as well as former executive director of) the Yorkshire and Humber Leaders Board.
Importantly, YPIP will bring together a team of 24 co-investigators (16 drawn from the 12 universities of Yorkshire and Humber region, four representing different local authorities, three representing community-based organizations and one representing the Yorkshire and Humber Climate Commission). They will use co-production, co-design, and co-delivery methods to mobilise the collaborative potential of our communities and businesses, thus enhancing our region’s voice, productivity and long-term capacity.
YPIP’s activities got underway in January 2024 and will come to a close by December 2026. It will be funded by UKRI, with important contributions from the participating universities and other organizations. YPIP is one of four pilot Local Policy Innovation Partnerships (LPIPs) being initiated in the UK. In addition to YPIP, there are LPIP initiatives in each of the three devolved nations: Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. An LPIP Coordinating Hub, also funded by UKRI, is located at the University of Birmingham.
Commenting on the launch of YPIP, Principal Investigator, Professor Gary Dymski, commented: “All the members of our YPIP team are excited that we’ll have the opportunity to make a difference for the communities, councils and businesses of Yorkshire and the Humber.
“We are a vast region with a diverse population that resides in spaces ranging from remote rural hamlets to dense inner-city neighbourhoods. Our plan is ambitious: we want to make a difference on the inclusive growth and sustainability living challenges facing people across its length and breadth. YPIP gives our 12 Yorkshire universities some resources to use in this common effort.”
Devolving health powers and investment to local areas is key to tackling health and economic inequalities between Yorkshire and other parts of the UK, according to the findings of a new white paper.
Chief among those recommendations is that central government should devolve more health powers to local places so that solutions can be found that meet the needs of local people and communities.
Notably, the report highlights the Yorkshire and Humber Policy Engagement and Research Network (Y-PERN) as an example of a Yorkshire-wide collaboration that is sharing evidence and best practice.
The report reads: “A cornerstone of Y-PERN … is bringing evidence-based rationale to influence policymaking for excluded and marginalised communities. The significance of this for health in the region is that it can act as an exemplar for how the extensive research facilities of Yorkshire Universities can be utilised by policymakers to improve health outcomes based on a proper understanding of the challenges faced, robust evidence and insights.”
A ’perfect test bed’ for innovation
The latest white paper, entitled Empowering Local Places for Health and Prosperity draws on data showing that health and economic inequalities across Yorkshire and Humber – which has the third lowest life expectancy in England – have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The white paper argues that meaningful devolution that allows local leaders to lead is the best way to tackle health inequalities and economic inactivity that currently cost the UK £180bn a year.
The paper highlights that Yorkshire’s diverse geography, economy and population and strong partnerships between public bodies, the health sector, universities, businesses, and others make it the “perfect test bed for piloting new approaches and innovations” that could be replicated and scaled up elsewhere in the country.
It also identifies the important role of universities and businesses in supporting health and economic prosperity as part of broad-based local partnerships.
As a region home to 37,000 students studying medicine or health-related subjects, Yorkshire’s universities are well-placed to meet ambitious targets set out in the NHS’s Long-Term Workforce Plan to double the number of medical school places in England and increasing adult nursing training places by 92%.
With NHS vacancies – particularly nursing jobs – at an all-time high, one of the white paper’s top recommendations is for health service leaders and the government to work more closely with universities to remove barriers to student recruitment in health-related subjects.
Professor Karen Bryan OBE, Chair of Yorkshire Universities, comments:
“Action to deliver on the NHS Workforce Plan ambitions has been slow to materialise, which is concerning given the scale of the workforce crisis the NHS is facing. I’m pleased that this white paper recognises the crucial role of universities in meeting the targets in the Workforce Plan, including boosting student recruitment, providing capital investment to improve training capacity, extending and diversifying placements and practice-learning, and tackling health student and early-career attrition.
“It also reinforces the importance of collaborative initiatives such our Yorkshire Policy Engagement and Research Network (Y-PERN), which unites our academics with policymakers and communities to ensure they are armed with evidence about what the economy and their communities really need to thrive.”
