The project was funded by Sutton Coldfield Charitable Trust: https://www.suttoncoldfieldcharitabletrust.com/ 

Research Objective: To up-date the 1993 study and evaluate the needs of Sutton Coldfield residents in key service areas and project future challenges.

Aims:

·         Determine current levels of need in the town

·         Investigate existing service provision through a mapping exercise

·         Draw out future challenges for services in meeting needs of local residents

·         Identify some key lessons and interventions, which respond to existing and future needs.

Rationale

The initial study was conducted by the Centre for Culture Studies at the University of Birmingham in 1993. Since this time there have been fundamental changes not only to Sutton Coldfield but also the wider socio-economic context in which welfare and local service provision operates. Primarily the financial crisis of 2008, the following austerity politics, which has resulted in significant budget restraints across all levels of government, but also demographic changes within Sutton Coldfield itself, have resulted in a very different landscape than 1993 and one that both requires and justifies an evaluation of local needs. At its core, the project will seek to remain true to the intent and purpose of the 1993 but has the added advantage of the Sociology department at the University of Birmingham now living within the new Department of Social Policy, Sociology and Criminology. Consequently, the new department can bring together sociological and policy analysis expertise to the study of need and service provision. In addition, the researchers will have access to leading research centres such as the Third Centre Research Centre, based in the department, the home of leading research into voluntary organisations and their role in delivering local, welfare services. The intention, therefore, is to build on the 1993 study to enhance the level of analysis drawing on new methodological techniques, departmental expertise and a policy-orientated analysis to map and explore current and future needs within the town.  

Project design, methods and analysis:

The project seeks to replicate elements of the 1993 study to allow for some basis of comparison as well as broaden this out to develop a much richer data set for the evaluation. In essence, the data collection around four core components. Additionally the study will retain the 13 categories identified in the 1993 report for comparability. Data collection included:

1. Analysis of census data

2. Survey of residents.

3. Interviews with residents. 

4. Focus groups with residents.

5. Interviews with local stakeholders (service providers, politicians and Trustees)

6. Mapping activity of local services and sport clubs/organisations. 

Some of the local coverage of the report and its consequences:

1. Sutton Coldfield Chamber of Commerce here

2. Express and Start here