Peter Wells

Peter Wells is professor of public policy analysis and evaluation, and the Assistant Dean for Research and Business Development for the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities. He has extensive experience of research on urban and regional issues, specifically in project and programme evaluation, community involvement, community economic development, the funding of the voluntary and community sector including social investment, local government, Structural Funds and EU regional policy.

Peter is the director of the Evaluation and Learning Contract for the Big Lottery Fund's Talent Match programme. This contract runs from 2013-19. He directed the Office of the Third Sector (Cabinet Office) funded national evaluation of Futurebuilders from 2005-2010. He was also involved in the National Evaluation of the New Deal for Communities as a member of the central data team. He has undertaken various research and evaluation assignments for the Big Lottery Fund, including the evaluation of its Village SOS programme and research into the outsourcing of grantmaking. He has worked in an expert advisory capacity in a range of contexts including: being a member of the CLG Local Government Research Expert Panel (2008-10); providing peer review support to the Meta Evaluation of London 2012; as a member of the DECC evaluation panel; and submitting invited evidence to the NCVO Funding Commission on the measurement of impact.