Redditch was one of the 101 towns across the UK invited by the Government to bid for funding under the Towns Fund – a funding scheme aiming to drive sustainable economic regeneration.
As part of their proposal for the funding, Redditch Council wanted to engage with members of the community and stakeholders to help define what the priorities should be, were Redditch to receive funding.
The research was required to be completed in a short timescale to fit in with the wider timescales of the Council's proposal. We used a mixed-method approach, involving an online quantitative survey and qualitative focus groups and interviews with a representative and diverse cross-section of the Redditch population.
Over the course of only two weeks we engaged almost 700 local people. The insight gathered allowed us to compile a list of recommendations for sustainable investment to improve Redditch in a way that was of demonstrable value to its residents.
These recommendations were incorporated into Redditch Council's Towns Fund proposal, which saw them secure a historic investment of £15.6 million.