Over the last three months, Dr Chris O’Leary has been leading work to develop a collaboration with Stirling University, Cardiff University, the Blavatnik School of Government at Oxford, Newcastle University and the Centre for Partnering focused on research around partnering, commissioning and procurement in local government. Chris attended a launch meeting at the House of Lords, hosted by Lord Tupe and attracting around forty academics, local government leaders, and private sector companies.