Public Housing Regeneration under the Private Finance Initiative: a Study about People, Place and Local Governance

Lead Research Organisation: University of Leeds
Department Name: Sch of Geography

Abstract

Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
 
Title Uprooted 
Description This is a 25 minute documentary-style film made in collaboration with Ross Domoney and fellow students of the National Film & Television School during 2015 and 2016. The film follows two women residents of the Myatts Field North council estate in the London Borough of Lambeth as they are forced to move out of their homes as part of a regeneration scheme. In terms of the genesis of the film, I approached a filmmaker through a mutual contact to make a documentary based on my research into public housing regeneration under the Private Finance Initiative. The director, Ross Domoney, was due to make a film as part of his degree as a student at the National Film and Television School. I provided a background research report and introductions to residents on the estate. Ross and his student team then began to collect film footage during the summer of 2015 and we liaised closely at this time. I provided advice and guidance on the filming period, but the final cut of the film was the responsibility of the student team. 
Type Of Art Film/Video/Animation 
Year Produced 2016 
Impact The film has been shown at a number of film festivals and individual screenings in the UK - London, Sheffield, Leeds, Portsmouth, Edinburgh - and internationally, including the United States and Greece. It has been nominated and shortlisted for several prizes, including the Grierson Award in November 2016. It has also been used often as part of political meetings, academic conferences and educational events with the film combined with talks by the director, residents and myself. It has a notable impact when screened at film festivals in London with residents being asked for follow-up interviews with the media. It has also had an important educational impact with academics using it as part of their teaching awards. 
URL https://vimeo.com/166171144
 
Description The research has led to four main outcomes:

1. It has generated the following new findings about the experience of the Private Finance Initiative (PFI) in delivering public housing regeneration in England since 1998:

1.1. the use of PFI in public housing was driven by the previous Labour Government as part of a wider policy agenda to de-municipalise social housing provision and part-privatise the delivery and management of public service infrastructure;

1.2. to benefit from government subsidies to part-finance housing PFI schemes, local authorities have had to follow top-down policy and financial frameworks that tend to produce a gentrification-based form of socio-spatial restructuring of public housing estates;

1.3. a marked North-South divide in PFI regeneration has emerged after the 2008 financial crisis with the intensification of private market development for in-coming middle class residents in London estates contrasted with the temporary removal of private housing plans in several northern estates;

1.4. residents' daily lives under housing PFI schemes are often characterised by increased levels of complexity, frustration, uncertainty, and inconvenience at the hands of a complex chain of private sub-contractors whose performance is not adequately monitored by either the PFI consortia or local authorities;

1.5. many residents have experienced different forms of dispossession and the erosion of their legal and democratic rights because of PFI's highly financialised model of public service delivery that offers limited opportunities for genuine participation in housing management and brings with it an unprecedented degree of commercial confidentiality that prevents residents from effectively holding their public sector landlord to account;

1.6. residents' poor experiences of PFI contracts has also acted in some areas as an incentive for a revival of community action and empowerment, often in the form of direct opposition to the public and private bodies involved.

2. The research has developed a new participatory action research methodology for academics and service users to engage in effective PFI contract compliance monitoring that involves:

- uncovering existing local knowledges, skills and understandings;
- helping residents to use their statutory information rights to access the PFI contract;
- prioritising key contractual promises residents want to monitor for compliance;
- surveying residents to ascertain actual regeneration experiences versus officially-declared performance levels;
- investigating and challenging unwarranted payments made to the PFI contractors.

3. New collaborations have resulted from the research including:

- a 3-year PhD project, ESRC-funded, in collaboration with a third sector organisation, The Centre for Investigative Journalism (http://www.tcij.org/), exploring the limits and potential of UK information laws to re-democratise outsourced public services;

- the launch in November 2014 of a national advocacy network called The People Versus PFI (www.peoplevspfi.org.uk) that supports communities with PFI contracts and campaigns for an end to PFI.

4. The research has identified new questions and challenges about the implications of PFI for democratic control of public services and spending. These focus on the capacity of public authorities and service users to hold PFI companies and contracts to account, and more broadly to renegotiate and even terminate PFI schemes in the public interest.
Exploitation Route The findings can contribute to informing existing academic and policy debates as well as public understandings about PFI, both specific to housing and more generally across the public sector; and could also be used to significantly improve the existing use of PFI in public housing and to empower residents seeking to shape and influence such schemes. Academics will be able to access the findings through journal articles, a book and conference presentations. Residents will be engaged through the publication of a practical step-by-step guide on how to understand PFI, its effects on their homes, communities, built environments and services, and how they can intervene more effectively in the process to influence, shape and challenge it if necessary. Policy communities will initially be engaged through a short briefing report, followed by an application to the ESRC for a Knowledge Exchange Opportunities grant to bring together key stakeholders and experts with the aim of sharing the findings for the purpose of developing new policy and legal mechanisms that can hold PFI companies and contracts to account, and boost the ability of the public sector more broadly to renegotiate and even terminate PFI schemes in the public interest.
Sectors Communities and Social Services/Policy,Construction,Financial Services, and Management Consultancy,Government, Democracy and Justice
URL http://www.housingpfi.org.uk
 
Description The Key Findings from this research have generated important impact beyond the academy in five main ways to date. 1. The first and most significant impact has been the development of a methodology for residents to effectively monitor the delivery of public housing regeneration under the Private Finance Initiative (PFI). During the early stages of the research project, it was apparent that many residents' experiences of 'regeneration' under PFI were poor and unsatisfactory. Residents wanted to better understand the PFI model in order to effectively challenge and improve their situations. In response, we worked with local community activists in different PFI schemes to develop a participatory action research methodology to independently monitor the performance of the PFI contractor and use the evidence generated to seek improvements and more just outcomes. This multi-stage process began with the research team running a series of popular education-style events with residents to share experiences and understandings of the PFI regeneration model and the specifics of each PFI scheme. Residents were then trained and supported in using statutory public information rights such as the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the Audit Commission Act 1998 to unlock key contract documents and financial data and legally challenge non-disclosure. This information was then analysed and simplified to allow residents to prioritise key contractual promises and obligations they wanted to monitor for compliance. From these priorities we co-designed and carried out with residents a series of human and visual surveys that uncovered evidence of poor quality works and services. The participatory action research process generated a large number of resident complaints and service improvement requests. The resulting findings were written up in reports and sent to the relevant local authorities and other stakeholders including the Health and Safety Executive who in one case acted upon the evidence and suggested workplace improvements by the PFI contractor. Residents used the evidence in their local campaigning work, including holding several demonstrations, petitioning the local authority, giving evidence to scrutiny committees and getting coverage for their situation in a series of local and national media articles. One local authority subsequently investigated these complaints, replicating our survey design. We also helped individual residents by providing background reports to their lawyers. Overall, the research has contributed to increasing the short-term effectiveness of public service delivery in one housing PFI scheme, and improving resident involvement and empowerment in several housing PFI regeneration schemes. As a result we are currently working with residents groups in other regeneration areas and have been invited to give evidence to one local authority's scrutiny inquiry on improving resident involvement in housing management and regeneration. Since February 2017, the research findings are being used by the campaign group, Fuel Poverty Action, and residents of one of the housing estates in the research to lobby the energy company, E.ON, for improvements to their district heating service. 2. A second major impact has seen the research findings inform the development of a new national campaign network focused on PFI. The People Versus the Private Finance Initiative aims to pressure the government and public bodies to renegotiate, buy-out or terminate PFI contracts on public interest grounds. This research on housing PFI informed the development of the campaign network and was disseminated at the launch conference in November 2014 to over 200 people from across the UK and other countries. Attendees also received a specialist training workshop on monitoring PFI contracts based on the resident-led methodology developed during the research. The campaign has helped to put a fresh spotlight on the socially unjust outcomes of public services being provided under PFI contracts. 3. The third main impact has seen the research findings and expertise being used by the media in a range of formats and engagements to develop accessible journalistic accounts and explanations of housing PFI regeneration for advancing public understanding. For example, the research featured in a high-profile story in the leading building magazine, Construction News; it is has inspired and informed an ongoing investigation by the Guardian newspaper; it is the subject of a documentary film about homeloss in regeneration schemes called Uprooted that has been screened across the country and I have given talks at screenings; and it has led to a three-year collaborative PhD project with The Centre for Investigative Journalism (http://www.tcij.org/) exploring the limits and potential of UK information laws to subject outsourced public services to democratic accountability. 4. The fourth main impact has seen the research findings and expertise inform the research design and findings of investigations into different dimensions of the Grenfell Tower disaster. I was appointed by the think-tank, Race On The Agenda (ROTA), as Academic Adviser to their successful tender to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC)'s ongoing Following Grenfell project (https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/following-grenfell). ROTA is one of Britain's leading social policy think-tanks focusing on issues that affect Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME). It won a contract to investigate the human rights and equality dimensions of the Grenfell Tower disaster. I advised ROTA on their application, providing key input to their research design and methodology as well as contacts; and provided ongoing advice to their research team during the data collection and write-up phases. The final report was launched on 13 March 2019 and will be available here: https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/publicationdownload/following-grenfell-equality-and-non-discrimination 5. The fifth impact from the research is the ongoing development of an online housing safety education and reporting tool. This will be an 'app' to be used on a mobile phone or computer for residents to monitor basic safety and disrepair in their homes that could pose a danger to health and life, and report these deficiencies to the appropriate authorities. More information can be found out about this project here: https://www.safeashousesapp.org/
First Year Of Impact 2013
Sector Communities and Social Services/Policy,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Government, Democracy and Justice,Other
Impact Types Societal
 
Description Digital Economy Communities and Culture Network+
Amount £40,000 (GBP)
Funding ID EP/K003585/1 
Organisation Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 02/2014 
End 03/2015
 
Description ESRC White Rose DTC Studentship Network - Urban Housing Experience in Age of Austerity
Amount £173,583 (GBP)
Organisation Economic and Social Research Council 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 10/2013 
End 09/2016
 
Description Marie Sklodowska Curie Individual Fellowship
Amount £195,454 (GBP)
Funding ID 795611 
Organisation European Commission H2020 
Sector Public
Country Belgium
Start 10/2018 
End 09/2020
 
Description White Rose DTC Collaborative Studentships 2014
Amount £66,000 (GBP)
Organisation Economic and Social Research Council 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 10/2014 
End 09/2017
 
Title housing PFI database 
Description The database is an excel file that contains data collected on all housing PFI schemes in England. It is comprehensive, has a large number of fields and separate sheets, and contains both official data and my research data. 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Provided To Others? No  
Impact n/a 
 
Description Collaboration with Fuel Poverty Action 
Organisation Fuel Poverty Action
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution I am currently working with the campaign organisation, Fuel Poverty Action, to take forward findings from my ESRC project on housing regeneration in relation to influencing policy and practice around the development of new district heating systems in the UK. I have provided FPA with evidence about how residents are being placed in fuel poverty as a result of being forcibly connected to a district heating system that does not work properly and is not adequately monitored or subject to regulation.
Collaborator Contribution Fuel Poverty Action is including me in wider lobbying efforts in relation to district heating. We have so far met with the company, E.ON, and will be meeting with the government department, BEIS, in March 2017.
Impact A draft, confidential report has been produced about residents experiences of E.ON district heating system on the Myatts Field North estate in London. The report has been circulated to E.ON and they are in the process of formally responding.
Start Year 2016
 
Description ESRC White Rose DTC Collaborative Studentship Award on PFI and Information Rights 
Organisation Centre for Investigative Journalism
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution A key outcome of the research has been an emerging collaboration with a third sector organisation called The Centre for Investigative Journalism (http://www.tcij.org/) that has now resulted in a 3 year PhD collaborative studentship funded by the ESRC White Rose Doctoral Training Centre (October 2014 to September 2017). The PhD is will be supervised by Dr Stuart Hodkinson and Dr Robert Vanderbeck in the School of Geography, University of Leeds. The Centre for Investigative Journalism is a UK-based charity that champions critical, in-depth reporting and the defence of the public interest. It came into being in 2003 to address a deepening crisis in investigative reporting. During the ESRC Public Housing Regeneration research project, some residents living in PFI regeneration areas have attempted to find out more about the contractual and financial agreements that their local authority landlords have entered into with private sector consortia using the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) and the Audit Commission Act 1998. These efforts have been, more often than not, frustrated by local authorities refusing to disclose some or all of the requested information. This experience led to a collaborative relationship beginning between the PI (Hodkinson), and Lucas Amin and Sid Ryan who were then working for The Request Initiative (http://requestinitiative.org/), a Community Interest Company that uses information law in the public interest on behalf of NGOs and charities. They were interested in exploring the limits and potential of UK information laws to open up the Private Finance Initiative and outsourced public services in general to greater democratic control and public accountability. Eventually, both collaborators left Request and the collaboration was continued with Sid Ryan when he joined the Centre for Investigative Journalism. The collaboration with the Centre for Investigative Journalism will produce a systemic review of public access to information in PFI projects, test the adequacy of existing public accountability mechanisms in PFI schemes and develop proposals for new or amended policies and legislation to enhance democratic oversight to the privatised public sector.
Collaborator Contribution The Centre for Investigative Journalism has agreed to contribute £2000 a year to a PhD student on this topic
Impact The collaboration has already helped to generate a public conference on the Private Finance Initiative which was held on 1 November 2014 - see www.peoplevspfi.org.uk
Start Year 2014
 
Description Housing safety after Grenfell: putting residents at the heart of the new regulatory system 
Organisation London Tenant's Federation
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution Following the Grenfell Tower disaster, the UK government put out for consultation proposals for far-reaching reforms to the regulation of high-rise residential building safety in England, and at the same issued a call for evidence about how well fire safety legislation was working with respect to multi-occupied buildings with a deadline of 31 July 2019 for responses. Proposed reforms included mechanisms to put residents at the heart of the new system such as access to building and fire safety information they need or request, and a fast-track route to a new Building Safety Regulator if their safety concerns are not dealt with effectively by building owners or landlords. The aim of this project - which was funded by the ESRC IAA fund at the University of Leeds - was to enable high-rise resident groups to properly scrutinise and inform the government's proposals based on their vital lived experience. I brought together key stakeholders to partner with in the project: Tower Blocks UK, London Tenants Federation, mysociety and Manchester Sustainable Communities. I worked with them to design a series of consultation events, read and summarised the government consultation documents and wrote a short briefing for residents, which was turned into a powerpoint presentation of the main proposals and consultation questions. The consultation events informed a template response that I co-wrote for high-rise residents groups and individuals wanting to respond to the government's consultation. I also took the lead in writing a 38 page submission to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) that responded in depth to all of the consultation questions.
Collaborator Contribution The partners collaborated on the design and execution of the project. London Tenants Federation hosted one of the consultation events and contributed to the template for residents as well as ensured it was widely circulated and received press coverage.
Impact Hodkinson, S and Murphy, P (2019), Response to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government's Consultation. Building a Safer Future: Proposals for reform of the building safety regulatory system. 31 July
Start Year 2019
 
Description Housing safety after Grenfell: putting residents at the heart of the new regulatory system 
Organisation Manchester Sustainable Communities
Sector Private 
PI Contribution Following the Grenfell Tower disaster, the UK government put out for consultation proposals for far-reaching reforms to the regulation of high-rise residential building safety in England, and at the same issued a call for evidence about how well fire safety legislation was working with respect to multi-occupied buildings with a deadline of 31 July 2019 for responses. Proposed reforms included mechanisms to put residents at the heart of the new system such as access to building and fire safety information they need or request, and a fast-track route to a new Building Safety Regulator if their safety concerns are not dealt with effectively by building owners or landlords. The aim of this project - which was funded by the ESRC IAA fund at the University of Leeds - was to enable high-rise resident groups to properly scrutinise and inform the government's proposals based on their vital lived experience. I brought together key stakeholders to partner with in the project: Tower Blocks UK, London Tenants Federation, mysociety and Manchester Sustainable Communities. I worked with them to design a series of consultation events, read and summarised the government consultation documents and wrote a short briefing for residents, which was turned into a powerpoint presentation of the main proposals and consultation questions. The consultation events informed a template response that I co-wrote for high-rise residents groups and individuals wanting to respond to the government's consultation. I also took the lead in writing a 38 page submission to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) that responded in depth to all of the consultation questions.
Collaborator Contribution The partners collaborated on the design and execution of the project. London Tenants Federation hosted one of the consultation events and contributed to the template for residents as well as ensured it was widely circulated and received press coverage.
Impact Hodkinson, S and Murphy, P (2019), Response to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government's Consultation. Building a Safer Future: Proposals for reform of the building safety regulatory system. 31 July
Start Year 2019
 
Description Housing safety after Grenfell: putting residents at the heart of the new regulatory system 
Organisation TowerBlocks UK
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution Following the Grenfell Tower disaster, the UK government put out for consultation proposals for far-reaching reforms to the regulation of high-rise residential building safety in England, and at the same issued a call for evidence about how well fire safety legislation was working with respect to multi-occupied buildings with a deadline of 31 July 2019 for responses. Proposed reforms included mechanisms to put residents at the heart of the new system such as access to building and fire safety information they need or request, and a fast-track route to a new Building Safety Regulator if their safety concerns are not dealt with effectively by building owners or landlords. The aim of this project - which was funded by the ESRC IAA fund at the University of Leeds - was to enable high-rise resident groups to properly scrutinise and inform the government's proposals based on their vital lived experience. I brought together key stakeholders to partner with in the project: Tower Blocks UK, London Tenants Federation, mysociety and Manchester Sustainable Communities. I worked with them to design a series of consultation events, read and summarised the government consultation documents and wrote a short briefing for residents, which was turned into a powerpoint presentation of the main proposals and consultation questions. The consultation events informed a template response that I co-wrote for high-rise residents groups and individuals wanting to respond to the government's consultation. I also took the lead in writing a 38 page submission to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) that responded in depth to all of the consultation questions.
Collaborator Contribution The partners collaborated on the design and execution of the project. London Tenants Federation hosted one of the consultation events and contributed to the template for residents as well as ensured it was widely circulated and received press coverage.
Impact Hodkinson, S and Murphy, P (2019), Response to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government's Consultation. Building a Safer Future: Proposals for reform of the building safety regulatory system. 31 July
Start Year 2019
 
Description Housing safety after Grenfell: putting residents at the heart of the new regulatory system 
Organisation mySociety
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution Following the Grenfell Tower disaster, the UK government put out for consultation proposals for far-reaching reforms to the regulation of high-rise residential building safety in England, and at the same issued a call for evidence about how well fire safety legislation was working with respect to multi-occupied buildings with a deadline of 31 July 2019 for responses. Proposed reforms included mechanisms to put residents at the heart of the new system such as access to building and fire safety information they need or request, and a fast-track route to a new Building Safety Regulator if their safety concerns are not dealt with effectively by building owners or landlords. The aim of this project - which was funded by the ESRC IAA fund at the University of Leeds - was to enable high-rise resident groups to properly scrutinise and inform the government's proposals based on their vital lived experience. I brought together key stakeholders to partner with in the project: Tower Blocks UK, London Tenants Federation, mysociety and Manchester Sustainable Communities. I worked with them to design a series of consultation events, read and summarised the government consultation documents and wrote a short briefing for residents, which was turned into a powerpoint presentation of the main proposals and consultation questions. The consultation events informed a template response that I co-wrote for high-rise residents groups and individuals wanting to respond to the government's consultation. I also took the lead in writing a 38 page submission to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) that responded in depth to all of the consultation questions.
Collaborator Contribution The partners collaborated on the design and execution of the project. London Tenants Federation hosted one of the consultation events and contributed to the template for residents as well as ensured it was widely circulated and received press coverage.
Impact Hodkinson, S and Murphy, P (2019), Response to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government's Consultation. Building a Safer Future: Proposals for reform of the building safety regulatory system. 31 July
Start Year 2019
 
Description Bad Housing Makes us Sick Conference, London 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact I spoke in a workshop on 'Housing Safety after Grenfell' at this special conference 31 March 2019. The workshop led to ideas being generated for political actions relating to the justice movement for Grenfell.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
 
Description Book launch at Sheffield Housing Studies Association Conference 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact I gave a talk about my book at the annual Housing Studies Association Conference alongside the launch of the Radical Housing Journal on 10 April 2019. The book launch was free and open to the public.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
 
Description Book launch event Manchester 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact The official launch of my book, Safe as Houses, on 27th March 2019 which stems from the ESRC Public Housing Regeneration project. It was hosted by Blackwells in Manchester and was also live-streamed by Greater Manchester Housing Action.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
 
Description Edinburgh Mini Mayday Bookfair 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact I gave a talk on a panel about Gentrification & Community Organizing with Linda Somerville from the Save Leith Walk Campaign on 5 May 2019 in Leith organised by Lighthouse bookshop.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
URL https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/leiths-may-day-book-fair-tickets-59536897463#
 
Description Evidence to lambeth scrutiny inquiry 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact I was invited to give evidence to the London Borough of Lambeth's RESIDENT INVOLVEMENT IN HOUSING SCRUTINY COMMISSION on 22 October 2015. I gave a 10 minute talk about my research findings on resident involvement in housing regeneration schemes, including the Myatts Field North PFI regeneration scheme in Lambeth. It was attended by 20 people, including 6 local councillors and two housing officers, and several resident representatives. The talk sparked a lively debate about residents rights.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2015
 
Description Film launch talk, Brixton 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact I gave a talk about my research as part of a film screening of the documentary Uprooted that was made with support of this research project. The film screening was in Brixton at the Ritzy Cinema on the 5 June 2016. More than 100 people came and the film generated a lot of discussion among the general public who attended. The film has since been screened in other London venues.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2016
 
Description Homelessness and Housing, Manchester 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Undergraduate students
Results and Impact I gave a talk about the rise and fall of public housing in the UK as part of this event about homelessness and the housing crisis in Manchester 23 January 2020, Organised by the Manchester School of Architecture.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
 
Description Housing after Grenfell: Safe and Secure Homes for All, Leeds 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact This was the Leeds launch of my book, to mark the second anniversary of the Grenfell disaster by analysing its causes, understanding the ongoing political failures to deliver justice, reflecting on the implications for Leeds, and hearing from local housing campaigns for safe and secure homes. Speakers included: Joe Delaney - Grenfell Action Group, Evacuated Resident and Member of the Grenfell Recovery Scrutiny Committee; Cindy Readman - Chair of Save Our Homes LS26, fighting demolition of 70 ex-mining homes in Oulton; Steve Skinner, Little London Campaign. The event was held in the Council Chamber of Leeds Civic Hall from 6.45pm on 20 June 2019. Admission was free.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
 
Description Invited talk (Sheffield Hallam) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.)
Results and Impact Talk provoked a debate about the complex nature of PFI contracts and how they are not suited to housing.

I met academics with whom I have subsequently collaborated as part of a research grant application.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2015
 
Description Invited talk London Housing Crisis Colloquium 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact The talk, which provided an overview of how neoliberalism in housing and urban policy underpinned the London housing crisis, provoked a really important debate about whether London's housing crisis was unique or repeated elsewhere.

After the talk, I spoke with a member of the Greater London Assembly and we agreed to collaborate on researching displacement in London.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2015
URL http://www.bbk.ac.uk/events-calendar/beyond-the-skyline-addressing-london2019s-housing-crisis
 
Description Labour Party meeting 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact An invited talk to the Horsforth and Rawdon Labour Party Branch meeting on my book, Safe as Houses (Manchester University Press, 2019). 20 local party members were present. They wanted to hear about my research and what it might mean for future Labour Party policy. I spoke for 30 minutes and this was followed by 30 minute lively discussion, I was asked several questions about existing policies and legislation. Those present were interested in continuing the conversation and inviting me back as well as encouraging other Labour Party branches to invite me to talk.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
 
Description Rethinking Economics Conference, Greenwich 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact I spoke alongside Beth Stratford on the UK housing crisis at the Still Rethinking: The Need for Pluralism in Economics conference (30-31 March 2019) organised by Rethinking Economics Greenwich (REG) and the Institute of Political Economy, Governance, Finance and Accountability (PEGFA) at the University of Greenwich.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
URL http://www.rethinkeconomics.org/re-group/rethinking-economics-greenwich/?fbclid=IwAR1mEz0Q-XapN6bOVz...
 
Description Talk to London housing conference 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact I gave an invited plenary talk at the London's Housing Crisis and its Activisms Conference at the University of East London and Birkbeck, London on 23 April 2016. The talk was about the rise of global corporate landlords and what this might mean for housing and residents in London in the future. The event was well attended and the talk was filmed.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2016
 
Description knowledge sharing activity with residents association (Lambeth) June 2012 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Participants in your research and patient groups
Results and Impact At the invitation of the Myatts Field North Tenants and Residents Steering Group, we gave a presentation entitled 'A Guide to Understanding the PFI Contract for Myatts Field North' on 30 June 2012. The aim of the presentation was to assist this small group of resident activists in better understanding their PFI contract. The presentation sparked lots of questions and discussion and was very well received by the residents.

The presentation significantly improved the residents understanding of PFI, their own contract and regeneration scheme, and what they could do as resident activists to monitor that contract and hold the public and private bodies involved to account.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2012
 
Description knowledge sharing visit to tenants association (Lambeth) June 2012 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Participants in your research and patient groups
Results and Impact Council estate residents received information and analysis from us about their PFI contract and they might collectively monitor their PFI regeneration scheme. Presentation sparked lots of questions and discussion and was well received.

Council estate residents implemented the proposals we made on contract monitoring and engaged with our research project. They regularly liaised with us, provided feedback on our guidance and helped us to improve it.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2012
 
Description knowledge sharing with residents association bout how a PFI contract works (Lambeth) (June 2013) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Participants in your research and patient groups
Results and Impact We ran a workshop for members of the Myatts Field North Residents Association and PFI Monitoring Board and other interested residents about how PFI works. The information we presented sparked lots of questions and discussion.

After the workshop, residents had a better understanding of the PFI contract and could make better sense of their experiences. More residents got involved in the residents association and engaged with us as researchers. More residents became actively involved in monitoring the performance of the PFI contractor and holding the contractors and the local authority to account.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2013
 
Description paper to an ESRC Seminar Series event The Private Life of Public Law (April 2014) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.)
Results and Impact We presented a paper entitled 'The Private Life of Public Law: a PFI Social Housing Case Study' to the ESRC Seminar Series The Private Life of Public Law: Seminar 4 - Private Law, Exclusion, Resistance in April 2014 at Warwick University. The talk was well received, stimulated discussion, questions and interest among participants.


The talk cemented collaborations with lawyers, academic lawyers and legal geographers.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2014
 
Description presentation of initial research findings on refurbishment (Lambeth) June 2013 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Participants in your research and patient groups
Results and Impact On 8 June 2013 we presented interim findings of a survey of residents whose homes had been refurbished under PFI that we had co-produced with the Myatts Field North Residents Association and PFI Monitoring Board. The findings led to a lot of discussion among residents, sharing stories of their refurbishment experiences, asking questions about the survey, the methodology used and what to do with the findings.

After the talk residents decided to do more surveys following the methodology we had devised of different parts of the PFI regeneration scheme.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2013
 
Description research outreach to residents association (Lambeth) December 2012 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Participants in your research and patient groups
Results and Impact On 1 December 2012, we ran an introductory workshop for residents living on Myatts Field North Estate to help them understand our research and its background. At the invitation of the MFN Residents Association and PFI Monitoring Board. The workshop was based on a presentation - Public Housing Regeneration under the Private Finance Initiative: A Study about People, Place and Local Governance

After the workshop, a wider group of residents were engaged in our research and in the residents association.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2012
 
Description research outreach to tenants' association (Lambeth) May 2012 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Participants in your research and patient groups
Results and Impact We were invited by residents in a housing PFI scheme in Myatts Field North estate, Lambeth, to present our research project and our understanding of PFI schemes to them. We were contacted by a tenant who had found out about Hodkinson's research and had requested academic papers. From there we arranged to visit them. The presentation took place on 19 May 2012 in the community room of a nearby tenants and residents association.

The workshop participants were very interested by our analysis, found out new things about regeneration and PFI, agreed to be part of the research project and worked with us thereafter.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2012
 
Description talk at housing conference (London) October 2014 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact I gave a talk to the Cities for People not for Profit: the MIPIM Counter-conference, London, 16-17 October 2014. The talk was on 'Regenerating public housing estates through the Private Finance Initiative: state-led gentrification and accumulation by dispossession in Britain today'. The talk was very well received, stimulating lots of interesting questions and discussion.

After the talk, I was invited by one of the participants to collaborate on a housing research project in Ireland, and invited to write an article for a regeneration magazine. I was also approached by journalists and asked to contribute to news stories on the topic. I was also asked by local campaigners to contribute to a publication on housing.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2014
 
Description talk at public conference on PFI (London) November 2014 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Hodkinson gave a talk and ran a workshop at a conference called 'People versus the Private Finance Initiative' on 1 November 2014 on the experience of the Private Finance Initiative in public housing regeneration in England. The talk was very well received and appreciated. Participants commented that it made them realise and understand the impact of PFI on people's everyday lives, they liked the way in which global and local scales were connected, how policy, political economy and ethnography were brought together. The conference had 200 people in attendance but the talk was disseminated via social media and had a much wider impact.

The talk has led to more people following me on Twitter, emailing me about the research, and has also led to a collaboration with public service professionals and users on seeking alternative models of public investment to PFI.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2014