The Local and Regional Government Research Unit of the Department of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister provides professional social research support and advice for the Local and Regional Government Group, covering a wide range of local and regional government related issues.
The Office is a major funder of research into local and regional government issues, with a budget in 2003/04 of over £2,800,000. The Unit manages research projects in the ODPM's Local and Regional Government Research Programme (there are teams of researchers in other parts of the Office dealing with other areas such as housing, neighbourhood renewal etc).
The main role of the Research Unit is to provide research information that is relevant to the needs of policy-makers and to local authorities as a whole. We do this by commissioning ODPM-funded external research, conducting in-house research or by drawing upon the findings of other research in the areas of local and regional government. The Unit also provides briefings on research being undertaken in areas of policy interest, and our Research Library contains a collection of research publications covering local and regional government issues.
A number of other organisations, such as the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) also fund significant research programmes in this area. In planning the ODPM's Local and Regional Government Research Programme, the Unit attempts to ensure that it does not duplicate the work of others. The Unit is represented on a number of bodies, such as the ESRC and JRF, and in turn, a number of organisations - including the following - have an input into the planning of our research programme:
- The National Assembly for Wales
- The Scottish Executive
- The Audit Commission
- Government Offices in the Regions
- Employer's Organisation for Local Government
- Economic and Social Research Council
- Joseph Rowntree Foundation
- The Improvement and Development Agency
- The Local Government Association
- The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy
- The Institute of Revenues Rating and Valuation
- The Local Government Information Unit
- Solace
- Local Autorities Research and Intelligence Association
Much of our research is carried out by external contractors, such as academics, management consultants or survey companies. Our role is to set up and manage research projects, acting as the customer for the research on behalf of the Department. We also carry out in-house research and analysis of data.
We have to make sure that policy input is made into the project, and the research will provide information that is timely and relevant to the needs of policy-makers. We therefore work closely with contractors, policy colleagues and local authorities to ensure that the research is carried out to a high standard and meets the needs of the Department and the wider local authority world.
Our research falls into a number of possible categories:
- monitoring/evaluating existing policies;
- providing information for resource bidding/allocation;
- examination of issues which span departments/groups;
- filling gaps in information/problems of potential concern for future policies;
- good-practice guidance.
Updated 10 December 2003
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