David Legg, Regional Manager at Innovate UK, reflects that “the stars are aligning” for place-based partnership working. There’s a sense, right now, that the stars really have aligned for the Local Policy Innovation Partnerships (LPIP) and the Local Policy Innovation Fund (LPIF). After years of groundwork, conversations, and small but significant shifts in practice, the … Continue reading “When the Stars Align: Partnership, Policy and the Legacy of LPIP and LPIF”
Community-led Action Research: Announcing Recipients of the Second Stage of Cymru Wledig LPIP Rural Wales Funding, Autumn 2025
Following the second call for applications from community organisations during summer 2025, Cymru Wledig LPIP Rural Wales, in collaboration with its strategic partner, Together for Change, was pleased to confirm the six successful organisations this autumn, following an exciting and enthusiastic number of applications. The successful applications were selected from diverse communities across Rural Wales … Continue reading “Community-led Action Research: Announcing Recipients of the Second Stage of Cymru Wledig LPIP Rural Wales Funding, Autumn 2025”
Town and Parish Councils and Devolution: Small Scale, Big Potential
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 following the National Association of Local Councils’ Power Shift Conference and responds to the English Devolution … Continue reading “Town and Parish Councils and Devolution: Small Scale, Big Potential”
Rebalancing Health Innovation for Health Equity: Put Communities at the Centre
Alongside high-tech advances, we need long-term, values-led innovation in community-powered health approaches to tackle health inequalities and ease pressure on services, writes Mark Swift, LPIP Hub Place Fellow with colleagues Tanuka Palit, Henk Parmentier, Liam Spence and James Smith. A Broader View of Innovation Health innovation in the UK is flourishing. Advances in AI, digital … Continue reading “Rebalancing Health Innovation for Health Equity: Put Communities at the Centre”
Culture at the Crux of Place-Based Thinking: Positioning Locally Driven Cultural Development Within a New National Policy Framework
Val Birchall reflects on becoming a LPIP Fellow and the work she has planned for her fellowship. About Me As a Place Fellow at the LPIP, I am excited to be joining a team of practitioners at the intersection of policy and place. I bring over two decades of experience shaping and delivering local cultural … Continue reading “Culture at the Crux of Place-Based Thinking: Positioning Locally Driven Cultural Development Within a New National Policy Framework”
Second Cities, Shared Lessons: Insights From UK–Japan Devolution
Across advanced economies, national averages mask widening divides within countries. Big metros power ahead while many towns and smaller regions struggle to keep up. Our recent UK-Japan study with the City-Region Economic Development Institute (City-REDI) looks squarely at this problem through two ‘second city’ regions – Birmingham/the West Midlands (United Kingdom) and Osaka/Kansai (Japan) – and finds … Continue reading “Second Cities, Shared Lessons: Insights From UK–Japan Devolution”
Policy News – December 2025
This blog summarises the latest policy news that is important to place, including reports, inquiries, consultations, government research and events. It is updated every week. View previous editions. If you have a piece of research that you would like to be featured in Policy News, please get in touch. UK Government Title Details End date / Published … Continue reading “Policy News – December 2025”
Policy Innovate – 4th December 2025
Welcome to the latest edition of Policy Innovate. Policy Innovate aims to gather and disseminate the work of the Local Policy Innovation Partnership (LPIP) programme and wider relevant research to provide evidence on building confidence, capacity, and capability in an effective service-driven approach to place-based policy-making and public service delivery. The LPIP Hub seeks to address … Continue reading “Policy Innovate – 4th December 2025”
Placecast Podcast – Episode Nine – Place is a Unifying Force
In the latest episode of Placecast, Nicola Headlam sits down with Dr Sarah Longlands, Chief Executive of the Centre for Local Economic Strategies (CLES), to explore why place matters more than ever in shaping policy, economy, and community wellbeing. Their conversation offers a compelling case for moving beyond one-size-fits-all solutions and embracing the complexity of … Continue reading “Placecast Podcast – Episode Nine – Place is a Unifying Force”
Community Empowerment and Living Heritage in 2026: A Watershed Moment for Community-Owned Culture and Heritage in England?
Liam Smyth, LPIP Hub Place Fellow, discusses his recent briefing paper on how the UNESCO 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) and the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill could be triangulated with a place-based cultural development context to herald in a watershed moment for community-owned culture and heritage in England. … Continue reading “Community Empowerment and Living Heritage in 2026: A Watershed Moment for Community-Owned Culture and Heritage in England?”