The South West Observatory Core Unit was hosted for its first five years by the Regional Assembly which received ring-fenced funding for the Observatory's function from the Regional Development Agency. This arrangement came to an end in June 2006 and the South West Observatory (Core Unit) was set up as a company limited by guarantee. This is a social enterprise model whereby any surplus income cannot be taken out as profits for shareholders, but is re-invested to better pursue the company's objectives.
To contact a member of the Core Unit Team, click here.
According to its memorandum and articles of association: The objectives for which the Company was established, operating in particular within the region of South West England are:
1) the promotion of commerce through provision and interpretation of objective, timely, relevant and reliable information and intelligence for those making policy about and within the Region;
2) the development of a network which:
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brings together thematic and geographically focused modules to collate, analyse, present and disseminate evidence in and across areas of expertise;
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supports and enhances the work of individual modules;
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promotes the use of evidence by helping to ensure that it is timely, relevant, readily accessible and of high quality; and
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works closely with policy decision-makers in the Region to ensure that the evidence from the Company is understood, placed in context, and appropriately interpreted;
3) the advancement of a shared understanding of the Region and its parts by:
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developing consistent definitions and approaches to the use of evidence;
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undertaking cross-cutting analysis and research on key policy areas at regional level and appropriate sub-divisions within it; and;
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developing mechanisms and providing tools for evidence based policy making;
4) the promotion of efficient and effective collation, analysis, presentation and dissemination of the best available evidence about the Region through encouraging collaboration with and between regional partners and identifying opportunities for reducing duplication.
5) the identification of and, where appropriate, addressing gaps in the provision of information and analysis to help ensure that the Region has an appropriate evidence base for effective decision making; and
6) the idenfication of key issues of future importance to the Region through its analysis of research and intelligence.
