Award Winners
The LARIA Research Impact Awards recognise the impact of research as a local level and showcase the very best work of our members. The winners are announced on the first day of the LARIA Conference at our awards dinner in April/May each year.
Best use of local area research
- 2021: Essex Centre for Data Analytics – Exploring citizens attitudes towards data sharing and analytics within the public sector
- 2019: Cambridgeshire County Council – Crime and Community Safety: Yaxley Area Profile
- 2018: Wirral Council – Using the principles of Multiple Criteria Decision Analysis to prioritise areas which would benefit most from a Selective Licensing scheme in Wirral
- 2017: Manchester City Council – Troubled Families Evaluation 2017
- 2016: Revealing Reality (ESRO)/London Borough of Waltham Forest – The value of making friends: How a deeper understanding of user need has created a brighter future for children in Waltham Forest
- 2015: London Borough of Lambeth – Using Randomised Control Trials to Improve Public Service Outcomes
- 2014: Lancashire County Council & Lancashire Constabulary – Improving vehicle security in Lancashire – the anti-theft screw operation
- 2013: Manchester City Council – A Randomised Control Trial to assess the effectiveness of a new delivery model of family intervention
Best use of social care or health research
- 2019: Worcestershire County Council – Predicting self-funder pick-ups
- 2018: Manchester City Council – Evaluation of Manchester’s Community Assessment Support Service (CASS)
- 2017: Britain Thinks and Healthy London Partnership – The Great Weight Debate
- 2016: Miller Research and Aneurin Bevan University Health Board – Formative evaluation of the ‘In One Place Programme’
- 2015: Public Health Intelligence, Kirklees Council – From Conception to Delivery and Beyond: Lessons Learned through Evaluation of the Auntie Pam’s Pregnancy Advisory Service
- 2014: Lancashire County Council – Long-term conditions in Lancashire: a joint strategic needs assessment (JSNA)
- 2013: Food Dudes Health Social Enterprise, partnered with Public Health Walsall MBC and Bangor University – Developing Healthy Eating in Young People
Best use of data
- 2021: Powys County Council: Transformation and Communications Team – Integrating health and social care to improve outcomes
- 2019: Oxfordshire County Council / Thames Valley Police- Community Impact Zones: Stronger Families/Safer Communities
- 2018: Essex County Council – Multi-agency geo-mapping of gangs and child exploitation
Most engaging communication of local area research
- 2019: Kirklees Council – Don’t Stop Believing: Using Animation for Better Communication
- 2018: Birmingham City Council – Annual Research Seminar Series (5th Year)
Most engaging presentation of local area research or analysis
- 2021: Essex County Council and the University of Essex – ‘We’re in this too..’ exploring the lived experience of young people in Essex during the COVID-19 pandemic
- 2017: Essex County Council – From monster mother to local leader
- 2016: Oxfordshire County Council – Creative responses to local Data Users’ needs: Data Stories and R-Area Profiles
- 2015: Northumbria University (Department of Social Sciences and Languages), supported by Newcastle City Council: Imaging Homelessness in a City of Care (Newcastle upon Tyne)
Best use of community safety or policing research
- 2017: Lancashire County Council – Understanding of complex anti-social behaviour cases including cases presented at partner risk assessment conference (ASBRAC)
- 2015: Luton Borough Council and Bedfordshire Police: soLUTioNs Community Safety Partnership Gang Profile
Best community engagement/consultation
- 2014: Lambeth Council – Neighbourhood Enhancement Programme
- 2013: Lambeth Council – Community Engagement – The Co-operative Way
Best use of public data
- 2014: Manchester City Council – Integrated Data and Network Analysis
- 2013: Warwickshire County Council – Quality of Life in Warwickshire
New researcher of the year
- 2021: Alick Bird – Oxfordshire County and Cherwell District Councils
- 2019: Daniel Unsworth – Manchester City Council
- 2017: Izabella Wojciechowski – Breaking Blue
- 2016: Sarah Thurgood – Kirklees Council
- 2015: Zonni Auburn – Cambridgeshire County Council
- 2014: Heather Walmsley – Lancashire County Council
- 2013: Oliver Hopwood – ESRO
LARIA volunteer of the year
- 2017: Deana Leadbeater
- 2016: Coryn Barclay
- 2015: Alison Monkhouse
- 2014: Linda Frost
- 2013: Richard Potter
LARIA Outstanding Contribution
- 2018: Andy Davis
- 2018: Gerallt Evans-Hughes
- 2018: Mike Walker
- 2018: Juliet Whitworth
LARIA Special Recognition Award for services to local area research and intelligence
- 2018: Neil Wholey
Excellence in Research
- 2010: Bristol City Council – Adventures in crowd-sourcing
- 2009: Birmingham City Council & Professor John Thornes, University of Birmingham – Tackling Climate Change
- 2008: Cambridgeshire County Council – SOS – Save our Stores: using research and information to protect post offices from closure.
- 2007: Borough of Poole – Child-centred approach to analysing children’s and young people’s needs
- 2006: Wakefield Council – Mystery Shopping Programme
- 2005: Pendle Borough Council – Measuring and Understanding Community Cohesion – a holistic approach
- 2004: Cheshire County Council – Anti-Bullying Project in Cheshire Schools
Shortlists and winners by year
