The winners of the LARIA Research Impact Awards were announced on Wednesday 25 March during the LARIA One Day Conference ‘Local Evidence Matters: Understanding Need Through Research and Data’ held at the Local Government Association, London.

The LARIA Research Impact Awards are the only awards specifically designed to showcase the work of those researching local areas and recognise the impact of research at a local level and showcase the very best work of our members. We welcome entries from across the public and private sector that show the value of this work in helping public sector bodies to make better evidence based decisions.

We are delighted to announce the 2026 shortlist and winners below:

A: Best use of local area research – sponsored by LGA

To win this award the successful entrant will show how their research has led to a greater understanding of a local area or community or an issue that is locally important, and has led to evidence-based decision-making.

Winner

• Kent County Council, for ‘Independent three-month evaluation of the new Kent & Medway Multi-Agency Risk Assessment (MARAC) Hub model’

B: Best use of data – sponsored by CACI

To win this award the successful entrant will show how they have successfully used data to aid understanding of a local area, community or issue that has led to evidence-based decision-making within at least one public sector body. Data for the purposes of this award is defined as the use of big data, open data, business intelligence and statistical analysis.

Winner

• Greater Manchester Combined Authority, for ‘Ageing in Place Spatial Risk Model: An evidence-based approach to tackling inequalities in ageing’

Highly Commended

• University of Liverpool, for ‘The Intervention Index: Data-Driven Prioritisation of £1.58 Billion Transport Investment in Liverpool City Region’
• Warwickshire County Council, for ‘Business Intelligence Team – Community Safety’

Shortlisted

• Oxfordshire County Council: Mapping Need, Pathways and geographic and social inequalities: A Multimethod Analysis of Children’s Social Care Demand and Decision Making in Oxfordshire

C: Best use of data or research in a district council

• Colchester City Council, for ‘Putting children’s voices at the heart of the design; Colchester Castle play park redevelopment’

Shortlisted

• Reigate and Banstead Borough Council: Building an evidence base to support reorganisation in Surrey
• Wyre Council: A map-based interactive dashboard that successfully informed LGR proposals in Lancashire

D: Most engaging communication of local area research or analysis

To win this award the successful entrant will show how they have successfully communicated local area research or data analysis to aid understanding of a local area, community or issue. The audience for this communication could include senior decision-makers, staff, the media and the public.

Winner

• Kent County Council, for ‘Survivor Voice Ambassadors: embedding lived experience in domestic abuse policy, training and public communication’

Highly Commended

• Local Government Association for their ‘LG Inform App: engaging decision‑makers through clear, accessible data insights’

Shortlisted

• Essex County Council: Childhood in Essex: Gen Z and Gen Alpha ‘spilling the tea’ on the everyday realities and the changing landscape of childhood in Essex
• GeoPlace: Policy principles to support the effective use of address data

E: New researcher/analyst of the year

This award is given to a researcher or analyst with under five years of experience in a research field who has made an impact. This could be a person of any age, and could be based on a particular project they have led, an innovation they have pioneered or a particularly strong skill set.

Winner

• Petronella Munhenzva, from Wirral Council

Highly Commended

• Jessica Austin, from Norfolk County Council

Shortlisted

• Matthew Davies, Wirral Council
• Abi Paggett, Kent County Council