About the
Future Ambition Board
We are passionate about Bath & North East Somerset.
The Future Ambition Board (FAB) originally developed from the need for our region’s civic organisations to collaborate around a Covid-19 response, and grew into the delivery mechanism for a shared Civic Agreement between Bath and North East Somerset’s anchor institutions. An early success of the FAB was the co-development of a shared Economic Strategy for the region, and the FAB has since been focused on the delivery of this.
The FAB is made up of senior leaders from each of the region’s anchor institutions along with representatives of other civic-focused organisations including industry, faith and the third sector.
The FAB has existed for four years, and in that time, many new collaborations have been developed, benefiting the region. Examples of these can be found through our blog posts.
The FAB is currently focusing its efforts on the following:
- Through creativity and innovation, delivering ‘good growth’ through innovation, creating quality jobs in a range of sectors, increasing the resilience of the region and its businesses, and the opportunities available to local people.
- Working collaboratively across the region to deliver quality housing in all sectors, including social, key worker, student and general housing, while ensuring sustainable and nature-positive development.
- Being a consistent voice from Bath and North East Somerset when speaking to regional and national government, with the aim of shaping policy and drawing funding into Bath and North East Somerset.
Meet our organisations
The Future Ambition Board is made up civic anchor organisations from Bath and North East Somerset, as well as representatives from industry, the third sector and faith organisations. Meet some of our members here:
Bath & North East Somerset Council
Bath and North East Somerset Council is the local council for the district of Bath and North East Somerset in Somerset, England. We aim to provide an extensive and meaningful programme of community engagement and have a Community Engagement Charter that sets out how we achieve this. We work with our community partners to develop reciprocal expectations, ensuring that we provide a genuine opportunity to work in partnership with the local community. We also run a Connecting Communities programme which is designed to help public services, community organisations and residents work together to identify and address areas of concern in our local communities.
Bath Spa University
Bath Spa University currently holds 2023/24 Sunday Times Inclusive University of Year Award, is one of five Adobe Creative Campuses in the UK, and one of five Gold Mark Universities for Social Enterprise. It is ranked 18th amongst British Universities for Sustainability and is nationally leading as a provider of educational training, both for teachers via its School of Education or for vocational reskilling and upskilling through its Short Course Unit. The University is currently developing a vibrant campus at BSU London. Driven by a dedication to creative professionalism, Bath Spa’s core values of ‘curiosity, creativity, and confidence’ underpin deep commitments to inclusive practice, sustainability, and equity’. We believe in the application of vision, harnessing all aspects of education to transform community locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. We co-create learning and teaching, research and innovation for this purpose.
Royal United Hospitals, Bath
At the RUH we aim to put people at the heart of what we do, striving to create an environment where everyone matters. Everyone means the people we care for, the people we work with and the people in our community. We are particularly motivated to understand and help address health inequalities and the many wider determinants of health and wellbeing within our shared place. We also work closely with other health and care organisations as members of the Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care System. We believe that by working together we can build one of the healthiest places to live and work.
University of Bath
The University of Bath is a globally leading university with an excellent reputation for teaching and research excellence. Our research and teaching are changing the world for the better, and our local area. We aim to contribute to the economic, social, environmental and cultural life of Bath and North East Somerset, benefitting residents, schools and businesses. Our staff and students regularly get involved with the community in and around Bath, developing partnerships with community groups and collaborations with local organisations. We support local students to prepare for their future, working with their schools and colleges to inspire them to pursue further study and careers. Our home within the city of Bath is core to our success.
Curo
Curo is a major housing association and house-builder based in Bath, operating across the West of England. Managing over 13,000 homes, they provide social housing, care services, and community support. They reinvest all profits into creating ‘Homes for Good’ rather than paying dividends to shareholders. Curo provides great homes and high quality care and support services across the region. They are one of the largest landlords in the South West, with a diverse portfolio of affordable and market rented homes. They invest in neighbourhood services to make communities thriving, sustainable places where people want to live and work, and provide award-winning support services to a wide range of residents, including homeless young people and families, older and disabled people, and those affected by mental health issues or memory loss. Curo supports its customers into education and work, and offer apprenticeships, training and graduate placement programmes.
Bath College
Bath College is more than a college, it is a hub for the community. The College provides innovative training to develop skills, inspire individuals, enrich the wider community and encourage all to achieve and progress. It offers 300 different courses to over 10,000 learners. Bath College is known for its commitment to excellence, innovation, and inclusivity and aims to inspire a lifelong love of learning and create a supportive and inclusive community that values diversity and promotes personal and professional growth.
Our local area
The Future Ambition Board works across Bath and North East Somerset. The area combines an internationally renowned heritage city with thriving market towns, villages and attractive countryside. The area benefits from a highly skilled workforce, strong tourism and cultural sectors, excellent educational institutions, and a high quality of life. The main settlements are the city of Bath, the town of Keynsham, and the Somer Valley towns of Midsomer Norton and Radstock, alongside many rural communities. The region’s heritage is remarkably diverse: Bath is famous for its Roman and Georgian architecture and UNESCO World Heritage status, Keynsham has a rich history linked to the River Avon and famous Cadbury’s chocolate industry, while Midsomer Norton and Radstock reflect the industrial heritage of the former Somerset coalfield. This blend of Roman, Georgian, industrial and rural heritage gives the district a unique identity and makes it an important cultural and economic asset.
Despite these strengths, Bath and North East Somerset faces several significant challenges. Housing affordability is one of the most pressing issues, with house prices among the highest relative to local earnings in the country, making it difficult for many residents, key workers and younger people to remain in the area. The cost of living is also high, particularly in Bath, while inequalities persist between more affluent communities and pockets of deprivation elsewhere in the district. Climate change presents further challenges, including reducing carbon emissions, improving air quality, adapting transport networks and addressing the energy efficiency of an ageing housing stock. Balancing the need for new homes and economic growth with the protection of the area’s historic environment and natural landscapes remains a complex task. As a result, the Future Ambition Board aims to work collaboratively across organisational and geographic boundaries to tackle some of these fundamental challenges.
Download the Civic Agreement
Click the button below to download a PDF version of the Civic Agreement.