News: 2007

Nov 2007 – Promoting Financial Inclusion in Rural Areas

SQW was commissioned by the Commission for Rural Communities (CRC) to research evidence on the rurally distinctive features of initiatives to promote financial inclusion. The report presents a series of good practice case studies on Promoting Financial Inclusion in Rural Areas, and we provided an evaluation of those factors which appear to contribute to both the success and the failure of such initiatives, in order to inform both funders and delivery bodies. The report was developed as part of the Commission’s programme on securing social justice, and builds on research that the CRC published in 2006 on rural disadvantage. To read the report, click here.

Promoting Financial Inclusion in Rural Areas (420KB) >>

Nov 2007 – Evaluation of Quality of Life Fund

SQW was commissioned to undertake an evaluation of the Scottish Executive (now known as the Scottish Government)‘s £375 million Quality of Life Fund, focusing on the process and operation of the Fund. The evaluation also considered how this funding has contributed to the development of Community Planning and Local Outcome Agreements across Scotland. The Quality of Life Fund has been provided to all 32 local authorities from 2002-06 under the two themes of improving the local environment and increasing opportunities for children and young people. Our evaluation involved a survey of all local authorities and a series of consultation-based case studies. Whilst the Fund has been approved until March 2008, this evaluation will be used to inform the Scottish Executive’s upcoming Spending Review for post 2008. To read the report, click here

Nov 2007 – Winchester District Economy and Employment Land Study

Winchester City Council has approved SQW’s Economy and Employment Land Study as part of the evidence base for consultation on the Local Development Framework “Core Strategy”. SQW undertook a strategic review of the direction of the local economy and prepared an Employment Land Review (ELR) for the district in compliance with government guidance. Cambridge Econometrics provided “baseline” and “baseline plus” employment projections to inform both elements of the work. Stakeholder workshops were held at the vision and options stages of the study to provide opportunities for wider consultation. SQW highlighted some fundamental options around the future economic direction of Winchester town which has significant potential for economic growth in addition to the impetus of major development in the South Hampshire growth area. The report illustrated a range of spatial options for the distribution of estimated employment land need with differential shifts to the three market subareas of the district as an input to the issues and options consultation on the Core Strategy. To read the report, click here.

Oct 2007 – SQW Group Expands Energy, Environment & Sustainable Development Services

SQW Group has announced that it is expanding its services in Energy, Environment & Sustainable Development. The Group has appointed several senior consultants with specialist expertise in the renewable energy market and the delivery of carbon reduction and waste management programmes for local authorities and the private sector. SQW Group has also marked the launch of its new Viewpoint Series of publications with a ‘thoughtpiece’ report on ‘Carbon Reduction – obligation and opportunity’, which discusses how public sector bodies can both implement carbon reduction obligations and support sustainable economic development.

Oct 2007 – Launch of the Viewpoint Series

We have marked the launch of our new Viewpoint Series of publications with a ‘thoughtpiece’ report on Carbon reduction – obligation and opportunity.

The aim of the Viewpoint Series is to share our thoughts on key topical issues in sustainable economic development, public policy, innovation and enterprise and provide suggestions for strategic and practical solutions. Climate change is clearly emerging as the greatest challenge facing UK and international governments in the 21st century and the energy, environment and sustainable development agenda is a top priority for our public and private sector clients. Our Carbon Reduction report suggests how local authorities, regional agencies and other organisations can turn the obligations resulting from targets into opportunities.

For more information or to provide feedback on this report, please contact Geoff White, Director, SQW on gwhite@sqw.co.uk To sign up for further publications in the Viewpoint Series, please contact Karen Laurence on viewpoint@sqw.co.uk

Aug 2007 – Westminster Population Research 2007

Westminster City Council commissioned SQW to carry out a critique of the Office for National Statistics’ methodology for estimating population and, in particular, migration flows. We also looked at alternative sources of information that might provide more robust population estimates. We found problems with current approaches to defining local populations, gathering data in ways that take account of different cultural and household patterns, and the way estimates of in-migration are distributed between local authorities. To view the report, please click here.

Jul 2007 – Integration of Parish Plans into the Wider Systems of Local Government

The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs commissioned SQW to carry out a study of how well parish plans had been integrated into the mainstream of local government and local service delivery. The study was informed by a series of scoping interviews with national-level stakeholders, a literature review of neighbourhood and parish working and 14 case studies. The report highlighted a series of critical success factors and barriers to mainstreaming parish plans and outlined recommendations for central and local government and parish councils. To view the report, click here.

Jul 2007 – Participatory Budgeting

Hazel Blears, the new Communities Secretary, has recently announced (July 2007) government support for ten pilots in local participatory budgeting. SQW has extensive research and evaluation experience of citizen engagement in public services and local partnerships, and has prepared this short briefing paper for local policymakers who are interested to understand more about participatory budgeting, and some of the issues it raises. More information on SQW’s work in this area, particularly at a neighbourhood level, can be found here.

Jul 2007 – Evaluation of the Welland Strategic Alignment Project

DBERR has published SQW’s evaluation of the Welland Strategic Alignment Project – one of two national Pathfinders (this one located in the East Midlands) conceived to address issues of improving the coherence of business support delivery, particularly to SMEs located in remote, rural areas. A key concern of the Pathfinder was to explore whether the Business Link IDB model could embrace rural and land-based businesses, and what adaptations and refinements might be necessary to ensure farming, land-based and other rural businesses had access to a ‘joined up service’. The project has informed the Government’s Simplification Agenda and approaches to delivering business support to land-based businesses. To read the report, click here.

Jun 2007 – Review of Provision for Land-based Studies

In 2004, the Secretary of State for Education and Skills sought advice from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) on whether there are any higher education subjects or courses of national importance where intervention might be appropriate to enable them to be available, and the types of intervention that could be considered. Land based studies was identified as one such subject area and we were commissioned, in collaboration with J M Consulting to undertake a review. The review undertook a comprehensive study of existing higher education provision in land-based studies in England and made recommendations for the future. In this context, higher education covers a broad range of educational and training provision at undergraduate and postgraduate level, including all modes and levels of higher education delivery in HE institutions and further education colleges, research activities, industrial linkages, and economic and business development activities. The recommendations from the review look at the most appropriate ways of supporting land-based subjects so that HE provision meets the needs of students, employers, Government and skills requirements nationally and regionally. To read the report, click here.

Review of Provision for Land-based Studies (1MB) >>

Jun 2007 – Environmental Technologies and UK Productivity

SQW was commissioned by Defra to conduct a study to identify, critically analyse and synthesise evidence on the potential contribution that environmental technologies can make to the UK economy as a whole. As part of this study, SQW conducted a review of academic and other research literature and held a series of consultations with key stakeholders in the public sector and industry to address the key research questions and draw out the implications for policy. To view the report, please click here

Jun 2007 – The Costs and Benefits of Independent Living

The Office for Disability Issues (ODI) commissioned SQW to identify and review the costs and benefits of independent living for disabled people. The purpose of this research was to inform the first stage of the Independent Living Review, which is a 12-month project being carried out by the ODI, to develop practical proposals to tackle the barriers to independent living. The research involved an extensive review of the literature around the costs and benefits of independent living support as compared to coventional support, followed by five illustrative case studies of individual circumstances, undertaken to in order to investigate different types of independent living support in detail and uncover examples of costs and benefits to complement the literature review evidence. To read the report, click here.

The Costs and Benefits of Independent Living

May 2007 – Research on Third Sector Access to Finance

The Cabinet Office’s Office of the Third Sector (OTS) commissioned SQW to carry out research exploring a number of areas relating to current and potential future demand for finance by third sector organisations (social enterprise, voluntary and community groups and charities, mutuals and cooperatives). The research informed OTS policy development and the Comprehensive Spending Review in relation to the future role of the third sector in economic and social regeneration. To read the report, click here.

Apr 2007 – Sector Skills Agreement Stage 1

SQW was commissioned by Lifelong Learning UK to provide the evidence base for Stage 1 of the Sector Skills Agreement (SSA) process – the Skills Needs Assessment. This included an analysis of drivers of demand for skills in the sector, analysis of current and future skills needs in the UK and its four countries. To read the reports click here.

Sector Skills Agreement Stage 1 (818KB) >>

Mar 2007 – Interim Evaluation of the Coalfield Regeneration Programmes

In March 2007, at the 6th National Coalfield Conference in Rotherham, SQW launched its report on the interim evaluation of the coalfields regeneration programmes in England. The conference was attended by Yvette Cooper the Housing Minister and John Prescott, the Deputy Prime Minister. The report outlines regeneration policy in the coalfield areas since the late 1990s, assesses the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of the coalfield programmes – the National Coalfields Programme run by English Partnerships, the Coalfields Regeneration Trust and the Coalfields Enterprise Fund, explores regeneration progress in the coalfields since the late 1990s, and evaluates the impact of the programmes and the remaining problems facing these areas.To read the report, click here.

Mar 2007 – Independent Review of the Higher Education Policy Institute

SQW was commissioned by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) to undertake an independent evaluation of the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI), a higher education think tank. The report evaluates the extent to which HEPI has achieved its mission and objectives, and provides evidence to assess its capability to do so in the future. To read the report, click here.

Mar 2007 – Study of the Role of Foundation Degrees in Wales

The Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW) commissioned SQW to undertake a study on the role of Foundation Degrees in Wales. The main purposes of the project were to undertake market research and to develop an evidence base on the contribution which Foundation Degrees might make to fulfilling skills needs in the Welsh policy context. To read the report, click here.

Study of the Role of Foundation Degrees in Wales (210KB) >>

Mar 2007 – Evaluation of the Scottish Innovative Actions Programme 2004 - 2006

The results of SQW’s 15 month evaluation of the Scottish Innovative Actions Programme have now been published. The Programme was co-funded with the ERDF and consisted of a set of policy research projects and delivery pilots involving stakeholders across the Scottish Innovation System. The evaluation was conducted on behalf of the Strathclyde European Partnership. To read the report, click here.

Mar 2007 – Digital State of the Region

In March 2007, SQW produced a ‘Digital State of the Region’ report for the East of England Development Agency (EEDA), summarising key baseline data and analysis on the current digital state of the East of England. Our research covered broadband availability and take-up, mobile coverage, business and residential adoption of ICT, digital divide issues, skills and demand analysis and analysis on the supply sector. We also developed projections of next generation broadband coverage in the region. To read the final report, click here (also available on the East of England Observatory website).

Feb 2007 – Sir Michael Lyons and Sir William Wells join SQW Group

SQW Group has strengthened its board with the appointment of Sir Michael Lyons and Sir William Wells as non-executive directors. It is anticipated that the new board members will assist the group with plans to develop two new business areas focused on healthcare and the environment, as well as with the expansion of its existing services. Both directors will also take equity stakes in the company. To read the press release click here.

The Higher Education Funding Council for England has published the report of a study undertaken by SQW. In 2005-06 HEFCE allocated quality-related (QR) research funding of £1.2 billion as a block grant, which HEIs are free to spend according to their own priorities. The report, based on a series of case studies in higher education institutions, reviews the impacts of QR funding. To view the report, please click here

Jan 2007 – Evaluation of North Nottinghamshire & North Derbyshire SRB

SQW was commissioned by the Alliance Sub-regional Strategic Partnership (Alliance SSP) to undertake a final evaluation of the Single Regeneration Budget Rounds 5 and 6 programmes, which operated in North Derbyshire and North Nottinghamshire from 1999 to 2006. A summary of the evaluation is available here. Presentations delivered by SQW and four SRB funded projects at an end of programme event, attended by 60 programme partners, are available here.

Jan 2007 – Next Generation Broadband in Scotland

The Scottish Executive has published a major report by SQW on Next Generation Broadband in Scotland. The study appraises the economic and social benefits of broadband services, forecasts the likely evolution of various generations of broadband in Scotland, and puts forward specific policy recommendations. To view the report, please click here.