Oct 2011 – Rebalancing the UK economy
Rebalancing the economy is a high priority for the UK government, which has set out aims “to achieve strong, sustainable and balanced growth that is more evenly shared across the country and between industries” going forward – but there appears to be little clarity or consistency in exactly what ‘rebalancing’ means. Added to this, there has not been a clear articulation of the rationale for intervention in the ‘rebalancing’ process, how ‘rebalancing’ might be achieved most effectively, and how the inherent tensions and trade-offs in addressing different elements of the ‘rebalancing’ challenge should be managed.
In light of this, SQW was commissioned by the UK Commission for Employment and Skills to review conceptual, empirical, policy and evaluation literature on ‘rebalancing the economy sectorally and spatially’ from the UK and abroad. The study explored number of challenging questions around the ‘rebalancing’ debate, including:
The nature and scale of the ‘rebalancing’ challenge in the UK, and its causes
The rationale for state intervention in the sectoral and spatial structure of the economy
Types of interventions that have been employed by governments to influence the sectoral and geographical structure of the economy, what works and why. This included the development of a typology of interventions to help classify different types of actions to assist in economic ‘rebalancing’.
What might be done in the UK to create a more (re)balanced economy, the implications for policy (especially skills policy) in supporting this process, and the extent to which this could be achieved practically given the UK’s starting point.
Five international case studies were also produced, exploring rebalancing issues and responses in Finland, Sweden, Germany, Korea, and the Netherlands to identify lessons for the UK. The review was undertaken in partnership with Geoff White Inc., Cambridge Econometrics, the Institute for Employment Research, and the Centre for Urban and Regional Development Studies. To read the report click here
For more information contact Simon Pringle springle@sqw.co.uk or Rebecca Pates on 0161 475 2112 or rpates@sqw.co.uk.
Oct 2011 – Big Energy Upgrade Programme
SQW has recently been commissioned to evaluate the ERDF funded Big Energy Upgrade Programme across Yorkshire and Humber. The Programme, launched by the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, the Rt Hon Chris Huhne on Thursday 29 September 2011, involves installing energy efficiency measures in homes in some of the most deprived parts of the region and has the overall objectives of reducing fuel poverty, reducing domestic CO2 emissions and creating jobs within the domestic energy efficiency supply chain. The University of Sheffield is a key partner in the Programme, along with Yorkshire Energy Services and local authorities and RSLs, and will be involved in monitoring energy usage and behavior through the life of the three year Programme. SQW will be undertaking the external evaluation in ‘real time’ and will have a key role in enabling feedback and knowledge transfer throughout the Big Energy Upgrade’s partnership to ensure continuous improvement. The Government is keen to understand the impact of the Programme and the effectiveness of its delivery and will use lessons learned to inform the delivery of the Green Deal next year.
For more information contact Richard Hindle at rhindle@sqw.co.uk or Rachel Brisley at rbrisley@sqw.co.uk.
Media coverage of the launch can be accessed from:
http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/local/barnsley/14m_plan_to_save_energy_1_3811432
Aug 2011 – SQW evaluation helps to secure additional funding for national languages initiative in higher education
The Routes into Languages initiative aims to increase take up of modern foreign language courses in higher education in England and to encourage more young people from all backgrounds to study languages at university. The findings from SQW’s final report of its three year evaluation of the Routes programme have helped to secure additional funding for the initiative.
In a media release on 10 August 2011 confirming a further £1.2 million for the programme, the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) highlighted some of the evaluation’s key findings, including:
Routes’ success in establishing partnership and collaboration within the higher education sector and between higher education institutions (HEIs) and schools
the development of innovative approaches to engage school pupils in language learning which have also helped to raise pupils’ interest and motivation
the work of the National Networks for Interpreting and Translation in attracting more English as a Mother Tongue applicants to these professions.
Click here to see SQW’s final evaluation report. Further details on the Routes initiative are available here at The Higher Educational Funding Council for England and Routes into Languages.
For further information contact Patricia Ambrose on 020 7307 7140 or pambrose@sqw.co.uk.
Aug 2011 – Maximising employment and skills in the offshore wind energy supply chain
The offshore wind energy sector’s growth in the UK will be constrained if the skills it requires are not available when and where firms in the sector need them. The likely impacts of skill shortages include: delays in the speed at which development and deployment occurs; higher labour costs (as employers have to increase wages in order to attract staff); the introduction of labour from elsewhere in the EU; and higher levels of imports to the UK (and lower levels of exports from the UK) than would otherwise have been the case.
The UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES) asked SQW to look into the implications of the offshore wind energy sector’s growth for the UK’s employment and skills system. We reviewed relevant literature and employment forecasts and undertook stakeholder consultations and case studies to explore how firms and education and training providers had responded to developments in the past, in order to inform development of public policy for the future.
Our work found a number of occupations and skills were causing concern including planners, environmental impact specialists, electrical and high voltage electrical engineers, cable jointers, wind turbine technicians, project managers, and specialist offshore engineering skills. Consultees also raised concerns over the availability of ‘skills in the offshore context’, such as health and safety and survival skills. The period 2013 to 2015 is highlighted as a potential employment ‘pinch point’ because the sector is likely to be gearing up for a new round of offshore wind farm development at a time when other sectors that require similar skills are expected to expand.
The report highlights a number of positive steps that the offshore wind energy sector and its training providers have taken and are taking to gear up for growth, but notes some of the difficulties they face in co-ordinating activity given both competition for skills from other sectors and rivalry between firms in the sector. It notes that the armed forces are one of the few parts of the public sector that is likely to make a good transition to the sector, but that there were few other opportunities linked to re-balancing employment from public to private sectors.
The study also looked at the geography of likely job creation. It found a spread of potential locations linked to different stages of the supply chain. These included the east coast of Scotland, the Glasgow-Edinburgh belt, the North of England (notably around Leeds, Sheffield, Manchester, Hull and Humber, Cumbria and parts of the North East), the Midlands (especially around Birmingham) and the South West and South Wales (in particular around Bristol). Other areas of potential were also identified, for example in East Anglia and the South of England, associated with wind farms such as the London Array.
The report also notes the importance of wider issues, such as industry regulation and energy pricing, for long-term workforce planning. This leads to the conclusion that national and local policy makers need to take steps to coordinate different policy areas (in particular energy generation, employment and skills, economic development, inward investment and planning) so that the offshore wind energy sector and local areas can maximise the employment and skills potential of the offshore wind energy sector.
To read the report click here.
For more information contact Scott Dickinson sdickinson@sqw.co.uk or Jonathan Cook on 020 7307 7140 or jcook@sqw.co.uk
Jul 2011 – Cambridge Phenomenon: changing perspectives - SQW Viewpoint
During 2010/11 we completed work on economic prospects for the Cambridge area which included as a main focus issues and opportunities concerning the development of the high tech cluster. Our work builds on SQW’s first major publication, ‘The Cambridge Phenomenon: the growth of high technology industry in a university town’ (1985), followed by our comprehensive revisit of the Phenomenon in 2000. We therefore have a 30 year perspective on the evolution of the Cambridge Phenomenon and some insights into its future prospects. Despite the unique characteristics of Cambridge, many of these insights have relevance to other high tech clusters.
You can access Cambridge Phenomenon Viewpoint 12 here. ‘The Cambridge Phenomenon: the growth of high technology industry in a university town’ (SQW 1985) and ‘The Cambridge Phenomenon revisited’ (SQW 2000) are available here.
For more information contact Chris Green on 01223 209400 or cgreen@sqwgroup.com.
Jul 2011 – Enterprise Zones: delivering the Plan for Growth?
Enterprise Zones are one of the key initiatives in the Coalition Government’s Plan for Growth (March 2011), providing support for investment and job creation and the opportunity, through the local retention of the increment in business rates achieved in the zones, to generate a significant long-term income stream to address the economic priorities identified by Local Enterprise Partnerships. This Viewpoint reviews the “second wave” Enterprise Zone applications submitted to the Department for Communities and Local Government by 30 June 2011. It provides a high-level and aggregate analysis and overview of the unfolding venture, and identifies issues which will need to be addressed by the Government in deciding which ten second wave EZ applications to approve, and the implications for Local Enterprise Partnerships and local authorities as they take successful applications forward.
You can read the Viewpoint here and coverage by Planning magazine (15 July 2011) here.
For more information contact Christine Doel on 01223 209400 or cmdoel@sqw.co.uk.
Jul 2011 – Scott Dickinson presented at CLES Summit 2011 on ‘economic development on a shoestring’
Scott Dickinson, Associate Director at SQW, is currently working on ideas for ‘economic development on a shoestring’, which he shared and debated as part of the Centre for Local Economic Strategies Summit ‘Making Places Better’ in Manchester on 12 July. Further information about Summit 2011 can be found here and the presentation can be found here.
For more information contact Scott Dickinson at sdickinson@sqw.co.uk.
Jul 2011 – Unrivalled insight into London 2012 spending
That’s the Evening Standard’s verdict on the SQW report ‘A golden opportunity: London 2012 Olympic and Paralympics Games expenditure and economic impact’ for Visa UK. The Evening Standard’s coverage can be found here, the Telegraph’s can be found here and coverage on Sky News can be found here. The full report is available here.
For more information contact Steve Lucas on 0161 475 2108 or slucas@sqw.co.uk.
Jul 2011 – Formula 1 British Grand Prix economic impact assessment
Chris Green discussed the economic impact of Formula 1 at Silverstone during an interview on ITV Anglia on 8 July. His comments drew on SQW’s 2009 economic impact assessment of the British Grand Prix commissioned by Northamptonshire Enterprises Limited, which developed scenarios and recommendations addressing the potential move of Formula 1 British Grand Prix away from Silverstone. The report is available here.
For more information contact Chris Green on 01223 209400 or cgreen@sqwgroup.com.
Jul 2011 – Enterprise Zones, Local Enterprise Partnerships and economic development
Christine Doel will present a paper on Enterprise Zones, Local Enterprise Partnerships and economic development at the ‘Local Enterprise Partnerships: Unlocking Funding Streams and Making Successful Bids conference in London on 11 July.
For more information contact Christine Doel on 01223 209400 or cdoel@sqw.co.uk.
Jul 2011 – Everything you need to know about Personal Budgets for Disabled Children and their families
Graham Thom and Meera Prabhakar presented to a group of local authorities at the ‘Everything you need to know about Personal Budgets for disabled children and their families’, hosted by Taking Control. Their two papers covered: learning the lessons of the Individual Budget pilots (drawing on our on-going evaluation work for the Department for Education); and how to establish a personalised approach (including joining together assessment, personal budgets and a Single Plan). The latter workshop drew on SQW’s Common Delivery Model and co-delivered with Gerry Kelly of In Control who talked through the complementary Seven Steps model. Copies of the presentations are available here.
For more information contact Graham Thom on 0131 225 4007 or gthom@sqw.co.uk.
Jul 2011 – Department for Education publishes SQW evaluation of the Home Access programme
The final evaluation report of the largest public investment in digital inclusion for children in England is now available. The Home Access to technology programme aimed “to ensure that all pupils aged 5 to 19 in state maintained education in England have the opportunity to have access to computers and internet connectivity for education … at home.” SQW led a consortium including Ipsos MORI and the London Knowledge Lab to deliver beneficiary surveys, case studies, stakeholder consultations, and analysis of monitoring and secondary data over the programme lifetime. The final report assesses the impact of the programme on beneficiaries and provides evidence of the extent to which it achieved its intended outcomes. You can read the report here.
For more information contact David Mack-Smith on 0131 225 4007 or dmacksmith@sqw.co.uk.
Jun 2011 – Evaluation of strategic funding to develop graduate employability in Scotland
Patricia Ambrose and Sheila Sim gave a keynote presentation at the inaugural conference of the Scottish Higher Education Employability Forum. They presented headline, summative findings from SQW’s four-year evaluation of the Scottish Funding Council’s strategic funding programme to develop graduate employability. The evaluation has found a good range of evidence that Scottish higher education institutions are effectively embedding employability within their courses, strategies and operational processes. The inclusive nature of the programme has also generated a sense of sector-level progress and momentum. The presentation can be found here. Further details of the conference and other speakers’ presentations are available here.
For more information contact Patricia Ambrose on 020 73077140 or pambrose@sqw.co.uk.
Jun 2011 – Car parks and castles: giving communities the keys
SQW’s two-year evaluation of the Asset Transfer Unit (ATU) has just been published. The Unit, funded by the Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) and based within the national charity Locality, provides specialist advice and support to government, local authorities and communities on how best to transfer properties into community control. SQW’s research included a major national survey of local authorities and concluded that the Unit has done impressive work in promoting asset transfer. Our recommendations to CLG encourage continued support for the Unit, a broadening of its remit and formation of a ‘barrier busting’ group within Whitehall to support this agenda. You can read the ATU press release here and our evaluation report here.
For more information contact Tim Thorlby on 020 3077140 or tthorbly@sqw.co.uk.
May 2011 – Social investment and community assets
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) has published a briefing paper by SQW that provides a comprehensive review of financial and business models available to support community asset ownership. The paper looks at new trends in social investment as well as more conventional approaches, and identifies opportunities for policy makers to improve the flow of finance to community assets. You can read the paper here and on the JRF website here.
For more information contact Tim Thorlby on 020 7307 7140 or tthorlby@sqw.co.uk.
May 2011 – Social networks key to economic growth
Planners need to understand the interrelationship between spatial and economic processes and propose appropriate responses, according to SQW research on social networks within business communities in Cambridge, covered by Regeneration and Renewal on 16 May. Read the SQW comment piece here, and on the Regeneration and Renewal website here. The SQW report, Cambridge Cluster at 50 – The Cambridge economy retrospect and prospect, can be found here.
For more information contact Christine Doel on 01223 209400 or cmdoel@sqw.co.uk.
May 2011 – SQW contributes to HM Treasury guidance on evaluation, the Magenta Book
SQW contributed to drafting the revised Magenta Book published by HM Treasury in April. The Magenta Book provides official guidance on evaluation for policy makers and analysts in central government, and also local government, charities and the voluntary sectors. It sets out the key issues to consider when designing and managing evaluations, and shows how preparing for evaluation at the start of the policy cycle improves the quality of evaluation results. The publication will be followed by forthcoming supplementary guidance on particular technical evaluation issues on the HM Treasury website. The published Magenta Book is available here.
For more information contact Marian Morris on 020 73077140 or mmorris@sqw.co.uk.
May 2011 – To bid or not to bid? Regional Growth Fund Round 2
Government is currently inviting bids into Round 2 of the Regional Growth Fund, but based on the recently announced results for Round 1 there is a genuine question about whether it is worth investing time, energy and resource in the bidding process. Based on a dialogue with a variety of stakeholders, SQW offers advice to public/private partnerships about some of the critical issues they should consider when making this decision. Our advice may be found here.
Apr 2011 – 2030 assessment of local renewable energy potential across the West Midlands
Telford and Wrekin Council, on behalf of local authorities across the West Midlands, the Environment Agency and regional stakeholders, has published the results of this comprehensive assessment of onshore renewable energy potential to 2030. SQW completed the study, supported by Maslen Environmental and CO2Sense.
The study equips 30 local planning authorities with up to date evidence on the potential renewable energy resources – an important step in identifying and delivering local opportunities associated with the national renewable energy and emissions reduction targets.
The resource assessment covers a wide range of renewable and low carbon energy sources including wind, biomass, microgeneration technologies, combined heat and power and district heating. It was conducted in line with the capacity assessment methodology that was prepared by SQW for DECC last year. In addition a detailed analysis of the hydropower potential and constraints along the middle Severn form Shrewsbury to Worcester was undertaken. The study also involved the preparation of a renewable energy planning guide for local authority planning officers.
To read the West Midlands renewable energy capacity study report, click here. To access the supporting documents please click here.
SQW is helping many local authorities to use renewable energy resource assessments to support planning policies and decisions.
For more information contact Chris Fry on 020 7307 7140 or cfry@sqw.co.uk.
Apr 2011 – Find Your Talent pathfinder case studies
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has approved publication of SQW’s 2010 Find Your Talent pathfinder case studies. The ten reports present contrasting models for partnerships of local authorities, cultural organisations and schools delivering a demand-led, area-based and high-quality cultural offer for children and young people in their localities. The case study reports can be read here.
For more information contact Michael Frearson on 01223 209 400 or mfrearson@sqw.co.uk.Apr 2011 – European towns and cities are getting smart as ICT enabled energy efficiency initiatives spread
On 14 April 2011 Chris Fry, SQW Associate Director, presented a seminar attended by local and regional authorities, ICT companies and EU institutions as part of the EU Sustainable Energy Week in Brussels. The seminar marks the completion of a project led by SQW that captured detailed examples of good practice on a pan-European basis and provides guidance for local and regional authorities considering how to implement ICT enabled energy efficiency and sustainability projects. The work encompassed applications for buildings, transport, organisational monitoring/management as well as energy efficiency projects associated with the ICT infrastructure and equipment itself. The slides from the presentation at Sustainable Energy Week are available here. The project has also developed a wiki-style site for accessing the information which is available via this link
For more information contact Chris Fry on 020 73077140 or cfry@sqw.co.uk.
Apr 2011 – ‘Credible, important, effective’: SQW’s assessment of The Northern Way
SQW’s independent evaluation of The Northern Way 2008-11 work programme found the initiative became ‘a credible voice on key pan-northern issues, an important influence on national government and an effective coordinator of thinking, views and evidence across the North’. The evaluation considered all six components of the work programme: the governance and advocacy role; the three Priority Themes (Innovation in Industry including Energy, Private Sector Investment and Transport); and the two cross-cutting Development Streams (Research/Policy Development, and City Regions development). The issues The Northern Way sought to address still remain today, and in its absence the report presents strong evidence to support working across Local Enterprise Partnerships on particular issues spanning wider geographies, such as strategic transport, energy, innovation and private investment. You can read the report here.
For more information contact Simon Pringle on 0161 475 2104 or springle@sqw.co.uk.
Apr 2011 – The Cambridge economy: retrospect and prospect
This SQW report, for the East of England Development Agency (EEDA), recognises the national and international importance of Cambridge. It analyses opportunities for and constraints to economic growth through five distinctive, but overlapping, “roles” which together define Cambridge: a hub for high tech businesses, a ‘research community’ (focusing on science and technology research), a city centre economy, a regional centre for the public sector, and an international visitor destination. The report proposes an ambitious Agenda for Action in order to address the barriers to growth being faced by businesses in and around Cambridge. It provides recommendations to central government and local private and public sector partners (including the emerging Local Enterprise Partnership) on the actions needed to ensure the high tech cluster can reach its economic potential. The full report has been posted on the EEDA website is also available here.
For more information contact Christine Doel on 01223 209 400 or cmdoel@sqw.co.uk.
Apr 2011 – Assessing the future growth potential of golf tourism for Scotland’s economy
SQW has assessed the future growth potential for golf tourism in Scotland to 2020 in a new report published by Scottish Enterprise. We estimate that the value of golf tourists to Scotland could grow by nearly 30% and generate around £265 million by 2020, with additional income from major events such as the Ryder Cup and the Open. Our report has received national media coverage, and can be read here.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-12950285
For more information contact Bruce Macdonald on 0131 243 0721 or bmacdonald@sqw.co.uk.
Mar 2011 – BIS publishes SQW research on online and offline business support channels
In this new research report for BIS, SQW considers the nature and influence of different types of business support and advice and customer journeys through the business support system. It focuses on businesslink.gov.uk, Business Link services provided through the regions, Solutions for Business, and private sources of business support. The report contributes to the development of Government policy on restructuring publicly-funded business support and designing online advice services. Read the report here.
For more information contact David Mack Smith on 0131 243 0723 dmacksmith@sqw.co.uk.
Mar 2011 – Cultural difference – Find Your Talent national evaluation report
The Department for Education has published SQW’s national evaluation of the Find Your Talent pathfinders stopped in 2010. The report includes important messages about how local authorities, cultural organisations and schools can work to together to deliver a demand-led, area-based and high-quality cultural offer, increasing access, raising aspiration, strengthening co-ordination and introducing new activities. It provides robust baseline data on the cultural experiences of children, young people and their families, and describes different approaches to meeting these needs in local areas pursuing progressively universal cultural provision. You can read the report here.
For more information contact Michael Frearson on 01223 209400 or mfrearson@sqw.co.uk.
Mar 2011 – SQW briefing on Local Enterprise Partnerships and the 2011 Budget
Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) need to start making a significant difference to business-led economic development as soon as possible. The 2011 Budget set out changes to planning processes and incentives for local growth that LEPs can start to run with. SQW has produced a briefing for the Local Government Improvement and Development on the issues LEPs need to consider. Click here.
For more information contact Scott Dickinson at sdickinson@sqw.co.uk.
Mar 2011 – Finance for economic development in a post-RDA world
In partnership with the North West Improvement and Efficiency Partnership, SQW ran a workshop providing information about Enterprise Zones and the Tax Increment Fund for property development and alternative sources of finance for social enterprises and voluntary sector organisations. The workshop, which was attended by 50 delegates, took place in Warrington on 23 March 2011. Workshop presentations can be found here.
For more information contact Scott Dickinson at sdickinson@sqw.co.uk.
Mar 2011 – WRVS publishes SQW report on over 65s net contribution to the UK economy
Using a new economic model in a study of the economic and social contribution made by older people for the charity WRVS, SQW has challenged the widely held view that older people progressively become a burden and a drain on society. Our research shows that older people make a positive net contribution today, and that their contribution will grow as the number of people over 65 increases and they remain healthier for longer. The report can be found here.
The story has been widely covered in the media:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/mar/02/older-people-net-contributors-volunteering
http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/news/article.html?in_article_id=524255&in_page_id=2
http://topnews.us/content/235989-older-people-britain-contributed-40-billion-economy-2010
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12619799
For more information contact Steve Lucas on 0161 4752108 or slucas@sqw.co.uk.
Mar 2011 – National Strategies publishes two SQW evaluations of support programmes for early years’ practitioners
SQW evaluated two National Strategies programmes supporting local authorities and practitioners to implement the Early Years Foundation Stage framework (March 2010) and the Communication, Language and Literacy programme (December 2010). The reports have been released with a review demonstrating the impact of the National Strategies on education in England since its formation in 1997. The National Strategies review can be found here, and the SQW evaluation reports can be found here.
For more information contact Michael Frearson on 01223 209400 or mfrearson@sqw.co.uk.
Mar 2011 – BIS appoints SQW to review evidence on adult literacy and numeracy skills development
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has appointed SQW to lead a consortium including the National Research and Development Centre for adult literacy and numeracy, the National Foundation for Educational Research and a panel of experts, to provide a comprehensive analysis of existing research and evaluation evidence on adult literacy and numeracy skills needs, provision and outcomes, and to make recommendations to support policy development.
For more information contact Michael Frearson on 01223 209400 or mfrearson@sqw.co.uk.
Mar 2011 – LSIS appoints SQW to provide a summary of the government’s growth strategies for FE and skills providers
The Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS) has appointed SQW to support further education (FE) and skills providers’ engagement with Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) and other local economic development initiatives, by providing a summary of the governments’ economic development strategies. The project builds on SQW’s autumn review of LEP submissions, and runs in parallel with work commissioned by the Association of Colleges and the 157 Group of colleges, the British Chambers of Chambers of Commerce and the Local Government Association, which collectively aim to strengthen colleges’ engagement as strategic partners in local economic development.
For more information contact Michael Frearson on 01223 209400 or mfrearson@sqw.co.uk.
Jan 2011 – UKTI sector marketing strategies define core UK sector strengths and act as catalysts
Last year UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) asked SQW to evaluate its sector marketing strategies for life sciences, energy, creative industries, financial services and information and communications technology. The strategies act as a catalyst for industry/government partnerships to develop core messages about UK business strengths and help UK firms sell themselves overseas and attract inward investors. The SQW evaluation reports have now been published, along with a response to the findings and recommendations. These are available to download from the UKTI website here.
Jan 2011 – Improving publicly-backed venture capital provision
In 2010, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) commissioned SQW to investigate the effectiveness and efficiency of publicly-backed equity funds, in order to improve coherence, co-ordination and consistency in the provision of venture capital. Our report was published on the BIS website in December 2010, and is available here.