PhD Studentship - Valuing our future: data and systems for improving UK local government decision-making

About the Project

Project details:

This PhD project will involve the design and development of 'place based' indices and processes for measuring and improving human and planetary health and wellbeing and enabling inclusive decision-making for a greener, fairer and healthier future. 

The PhD will be based in the Environmental Mathematics group within the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Exeter’s Cornwall campus, home of the internationally recognised Environment and Sustainability Institute. Local government and civic society groups in Cornwall will offer a case study, supporting local action, and generalising and sharing findings for the benefit of other regions. The focus will be on data collection, processing, analysis and visualisation and systems thinking and design, under the supervision of Tim Hughes (a researcher in Systems Engineering and its interdisciplinary applications, and a lecturer in Applied Data Science), with co-supervision from relevant domain specialists. 

The project will adopt the principle of supporting universal access to healthy food, clean water, healthcare, democracy, education, mobility, shelter, decent work, and a flourishing natural environment. Proposed activities include but are not limited to: 

1. Analysing the income and expenditure of Cornwall council and town/parish councils and the decision-making processes and data governing this. Asking: Are there any notable measurement gaps? What is/ is not valued?
2. Collecting and analysing data on overall wealth and income flows within Cornwall: considering financial, energy, materials, land and agricultural stocks and flows and their distributions. 
3. Considering how councils in partnership with civic society and businesses can better consider quantitative and qualitative data together, in making decisions that are better for climate and nature and that leave no-one behind. Designing methods of data collection, data sharing, and collective decision-making to support such improved decisions. 
4. Modelling wealth and income flows within Cornwall and how these may be modified to be in better service to the natural environment and society at large. Asking: Is the local tax system adequate? Is there enough local spending autonomy? Is there sufficient democratic input to decision-making affecting major flows determining quality of life, especially for the most disadvantaged?
5. Understanding barriers and limitations to the influence of local government on addressing environmental and social issues. And considering how these might be addressed, e.g., through national government (such as legislation, planning rules, corporation tax, devolution of powers) and/or strengthening civic society.

Depending on the skills and interests of applicants, the focus may be predominantly on desk-based analytical research, or may involve a significant element of co-production with local stakeholders. Potential partner organisations for stakeholder engagement may include Cornwall Climate Action Network, Cornwall Climate Action Coalition, Cornwall Independent Poverty Forum and Cornwall Council. An immediate application of the project may be to improving the pathways to impact for democratic tools such as citizen’s/community assemblies, surveys, and committees to democratise decision-making, and to evaluating and developing the quality and visibility of data relating to the environment and social wellbeing of Cornwall. The project may also consider relevant proposed innovations, such as a Cornwall Community Wealth Fund. 

Please direct project specific enquiries to: Contact Tim Hughes at t.h.hughes@exeter.ac.uk Please ensure you read the entry requirements for the potential programme you are applying for. To Apply for this project please click on the following link -https://www.exeter.ac.uk/study/funding/award/?id=5734

Payment of tuition fees (Home), Research Training Support Grant £5,000 over 3.5 years

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