The Places for Growth project will see thousands of civil servants move outside of London and central government closer to the people it serves.
As part of this programme, the Sheffield Policy Campus has been chosen to focus on the Government's 'Opportunity Mission'.
Cllr Tom Hunt, Leader of Sheffield City Council, welcomed the news:
In Sheffield, we know that tackling our biggest challenges requires new ways of working. From supporting people to get back into work to helping all children to thrive, collaboration is key.
Real change happens by combining local expertise with local, regional, and national government. We’ve developed this approach through our trailblazing Family Hubs and in the Pathways to Work Programme.
Through the community mission challenge we will work with frontline providers, the Mayoral Combined Authority and our colleagues in Rotherham, Barnsley and Doncaster to continue to improve public services. We are proud that Sheffield Policy Campus has been chosen to lead on the Opportunity Mission.
Cllr Tom Hunt, Leader of Sheffield City Council
Learn more
Sheffield Policy Campus
- In June 2023, the Government announced the creation of the Sheffield Policy Campus – a new Civil Service policy hub based in Sheffield. It was launched as part of the Civil Service Places for Growth programme. Places for Growth 2030 - GOV.UK
- See the vision for the Sheffield Policy Campus.
- The policy campus forms part of the Civil Services plans to decentralise policy and decision-making outside of Whitehall.
- Sheffield was already one of the largest centres of policy making outside of London. More than 1000 people work in policy roles across the Department for Education, the Department for Work and Pensions, the Home Office and other departments.
- The campus has resulted in better policy making, with policy being designed by people who understand the challenges local governments face in their communities.
Test and Learn programme and Sheffield Family Hubs
- In December 2024, Sheffield was chosen by national Government as one of four locations for the Public Service Reform Test and Learn programme.
- Test and Learn promotes a new innovative way of working, with a parternship between Government, Councils, businesses and local organisations.
- Test and Learn focuses on initiatives which seek to restore public services and aims to tackle some of the public sector’s biggest challenges and the Government face.
- Minister Georgia Gould recognised the excellent work taking place within the Family Hubs service. She visited Primrose Family Hub in Walkley in December 2024.
- Sheffield City Council is working with the Government to explore how Family Hubs in Sheffield can increase the number of families that they reach, learning from this work to better support families across the city.
Pathways to Work
- In February 2025, the Department for Work and Pensions announced £10m in funding for the South Yorkshire region to help reduce economic inactivity and stimulate job creation. This was the result of the pioneering Pathways to Work Commission led by in Barnsley MBC.
- £3m of the funding has been allocated to Sheffield and will be used to offer tailored support to inspire people to enter or re-enter employment and help overcome any personal or circumstantial barriers to the job market.