City-REDI

City-REDI is a leading evidence-based and policy-focused academic research institute, focusing on finding solutions to people and place-based inclusive economic, social and environmental development.

Based at the University of Birmingham, our mission is to work in partnership with people and places to facilitate local, regional and responsible growth for the benefit of all.

Our work focuses on the following research areas:

  • Ideas – the generation of new ideas and innovation as essential for creative, successful, and resilient regions.
  • People – creating successful places through successful people.
  • Infrastructure – including green and blue, digital, energy, transport and housing as essential components of place-based growth and prosperity.
  • Business – businesses as the drivers of employment and skills to drive wealth locally.
  • Places – focused on places, institutions and how key policies come together and interact in positive ways.

We run a major research council funded project:

The Local Policy Innovation Partnership (LPIP) Hub

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

By working with local LPIPs, the Hub aims understand and solve local challenges around the UK through innovative and effective service-driven approach to place-based policy making and public service delivery. The LPIP Hub is designed to lead to a step-change in the quality and impact of the evidence created by universities and their local place partners.

The Hub has received £3.6 million in funding from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and Innovate UK. It is a national consortium, led by the University of Birmingham, convening stakeholders across the research and policy ecosystem.


Latest reports

AI in local government: Adoption, benefits and challenges

This report from UK think tank City-REDI examines how artificial intelligence is being adopted in local government. This report from the Local Policy Innovation Partnership provides a timely stocktake of how artificial intelligence is being adopted in local government, what benefits are beginning to emerge, and what barriers still limit wider deployment. It draws on...

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Skills for the future: Demand for and supply of high-skilled labour across England

This report from UK think tank City-REDI finds that high-level skills mismatches differ significantly by area and that policy responses should reflect local differences in demand. This study maps employer demand for higher-level qualifications (at Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) Level 4 and above), the supply of residents with these qualifications, and the resulting demand-supply gaps...

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Dialling up democracy in the 21st century: Pathways for renewal

This report from UK think tank City-REDI explores how democratic innovation can help renew trust and legitimacy in the UK’s democratic system This policy working paper explores how democratic innovation can help renew trust, participation, and legitimacy in the UK’s democratic system. Building on earlier LPIP Hub work on social value and community-centred innovation, it...

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Skills matter in place-based green industrial policy: Lessons from the closure of MG Rover, 2002 – 2005

This report from UK think tank City-REDI explores lessons from the closure of MG Rover 2002 - 2005. In this LPIP Hub report, Ed Atkins examines how the experiences of workers following the closure of MG Rover in Longbridge, Birmingham, offer lessons for green industrial policy today. He shows how proactive, place-based and skills-centred interventions...

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Developing place-based green industrial policy in the UK

This report from UK think tank City-REDI argues that green industrial policy in the UK must be rooted in place. In this report, Ed Atkins argues that green industrial policy in the UK must be rooted in place. Through the review of cases of Vestas in the Isle of Wight, BiFab in Scotland, and Britishvolt...

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Examining the evidence on place-based research partnerships: Towards a set of principles for successful partnerships

This report from UK think tank City-REDI examines what makes place based research partnerships work effectively. This evidence review brings together academic and practice based literature to understand what makes place based research partnerships work effectively. It identifies the outcomes these partnerships can deliver, the infrastructure and systems that support success, the skills and expertise...

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Labour market insights from online job postings in East Birmingham and North Solihull

This report from UK think tank City-REDI explores labour demand in East Birmingham & North Solihull (EBNS) by sector and major occupation group. This briefing uses online job postings data to explore labour demand in East Birmingham and North Solihull (EBNS) by sector and major occupation group. It also looks at how patterns of job...

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The future of local democracy – devolution and the need to empower town and parish councils

This report from UK think tank City-REDI discusses the need to empower town and parish councils. Dr Amy Burnett (LPIP Place Fellow), Dr Jason Leman (Citizen Network) and Dr Daniel Ozarow (Middlesex University) examine how town and parish councils could play a central role in making devolution work for communities. This discussion paper was developed...

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Community empowerment and living heritage in 2026: Community-owned culture and heritage in Local Growth Plans

This report from UK think tank City-REDI examines community empowerment and living heritage in 2026. Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, and the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill coming into action in the UK. The paper provides an initial provocation as to whether 2026 could provide the strongest mandate yet for valuing community culture and...

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Business cases and place-based funding

This report from UK think tank City-REDI examines business cases and place-based funding. This report critically examines the application of the Better Business Case Green Book model by practitioners when seeking to secure past place-based economic development funding. The business case framework is used to appraise and manage the development of an intervention, as set...

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Valuing what matters: Reclaiming social value for system change

This report from UK think tank City-REDI argues that social value must be reclaimed as a driver of system change. This policy brief argues that social value must be reclaimed as a driver of system change rather than reduced to compliance exercises. It outlines a stewardship approach across three dimensions – procurement, governance, and community...

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Fertilising the soil for greater social impact

This report from UK think tank City-REDI outlines ways for supporting social value by building two-way relationships between universities and VCSEs. Universities can play a vital role in enhancing social value for the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector. This report outlines four main ways for supporting social value by building two-way relationships between...

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Collaborative innovation in employment policy: A Liverpool city region case study

This report from UK think tank City-REDI explores how the Liverpool City Region has sustained employment policy innovation. This policy briefing explores how the Liverpool City Region has sustained employment policy innovation across decades of national change. Drawing on programmes such as the City Strategy Pathfinder, Youth Employment Gateway, and Households into Work, it shows...

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Understanding the UK’s rise in economic inactivity since 2020

This report from UK think tank City-REDI examines the UK's rise in economic inactivity since 2020. This research & policy briefing outlines the main findings from a two-year project Levelling Up Labour Supply funded by the Economic & Social Research Council’s UK In a Changing Europe (Award Ref. ES/X005828/2). The main focus of the paper...

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Building winners: Strengthening the UK innovation ecosystem

This report from UK think tank City-REDI explores the structural, institutional and policy factors shaping the UK’s innovation ecosystem. This project, funded by the Innovation and Research Caucus (IRC), addresses that gap by exploring the structural, institutional, and policy factors shaping the UK’s innovation ecosystem. Through interviews with impactful innovators and innovation support bodies, the...

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