Mr Colin Osborne

Colin Osborne is an Associate of the OMEGA Centre at UCL. He is a Chartered Urban and Regional Planner and qualified Policy/Programme Manager with extensive experience in policy and programme development and implementation at county, metropolitan, UK regional, and EU levels, in the fields of strategic planning, economic development, transport, regional development, and EU funding programmes. He has worked across local government and academic sectors and also in private sector consultancy. He also acts as an adviser to the UK Government MHCLG on European territorial co-operation programmes including over 10 years as a member of international Programme Committees for EU INTERREG Programmes.

 

He holds a BA Honours in Geography (University of Leeds) Postgrad Diploma with Distinction in Urban & Regional Planning (Liverpool John Moores University) and PMQ Project Management Qualification (Association of Project Management). He is a member of the Royal Town Planning institute (MRTPI) and Associate Member of the (Chartered) Association of Project Management.

 

Examples of Consultancy Contracts

 

2017 – 2018      Associate, UCL OMEGA Centre. Part of the team preparing a practitioners’ Handbook on planning and appraisal of mega transport infrastructure projects, based on a series of OMEGA global research projects.

 

2006 – 2009     Consultant/Adviser, North West Regional Assembly. To promote project development and funding bids for EU co-operation programmes, for authorities and agencies in the North West of England. The region became the second most successful UK region.

 

2008 – 2010     Consultant to University College London and Blackpool Urban Regeneration Company. To progress a major INTERREG IVB project SINTROPHER – project development with agencies across 5 countries, a successful ERDF funding application, and post-award interim project management services.

 

2008 – 2008      Sheffield City Council. Part of Zennor Consulting team which undertook an ex-post external evaluation of an INTERREG project dealing with best practice for city region development across several countries.

 

2006 – 2009     Consultant, Royal Town Planning Institute. Part of a consultancy team, to promote and implement a regional training initiative for planners.

 

Summary Career History, Professional Practice

 

2010 – 2017      Programme Manager, then Associate, University College London.

Managing a core team of 6 leading a €25m EU transport project on innovative light rail/tram infrastructure systems, economic evaluation, economic and regional impacts, and comparative organisational governance – involving 16 partner agencies across 5 countries.

 

1998 – Present Adviser to MHCLG, European territorial co-operation programmes.

Including being a UK representative on an INTERREG Committee developing and implementing a €730m Programme covering projects for transport, urban development, and environment, and business innovation.

 

2006 – 2009      Director, Regional Development Associates

Private sector consultancy, working on EU programmes and projects, programme evaluation, economic development, and city region development.

 

2002 – 2005      Head of Merseyside Policy Unit, Merseyside Local Authorities

Managing a team of 7 plus Merseyside Brussels Office, responsible for co-ordinating and assembling 6 Merseyside metropolitan authorities’ combined input to the EU Objective 1 Merseyside Programme, dealing with European policy issues relevant to the authorities, input to North West England Regional Economic Strategy, Regional Spatial Strategy, Merseyside Transport Plan and Regional Transport Strategy, housing issues, and sustainable development.

 

1997 – 2001      Head of European and Regional Affairs, Halton Unitary Council

Leading a team of 4 which inter alia defined a regional agenda and European agenda for the new Council and built strong external partnership relations for the new Authority. Also successfully managed delivery of three EU Objective 2 Local Action Plans for regeneration/development of the area with 70 projects drawing £8m ERDF/ESF, secured EU Objective 2 status for Halton for the 2000-2006 period, and UK Assisted Area Status.

 

1995 – 1996     Principal Officer (partnerships) Cheshire County Council

Assignments to multi-agency partnership project teams in Ellesmere Port and Macclesfield, to develop local regeneration programmes successfully bidding into the Government Single Regeneration Budget SRB initiative. Also led a Cheshire multi-agency partnership bid to the Government’s New Deal Initiative, securing £1m for a Cheshire environment task force providing work experience and training for the unemployed.

 

1994 – 1995      Assistant Secretary for the North West Regional Assembly

Working to the Leader and Chief Executive of Cheshire (holding that year’s  annual Chairmanship of the NWRA) this involved driving forward a regional agenda and flagship projects on various aspects of regional development, covering the 46 local authorities in the North West of England.

 

1991 – 1994      Principal Officer (strategic transport), Cheshire County Council

Working on on strategic projects including rail links to the Channel Tunnel, lobbying for a West Coast Main Line upgrade, improved links to the Trans European Transport Networks; and a partnership initiative to develop a Crewe international rail freight terminal..

 

1978-1990        Planning Officer, Senior Planner, Principal Planner

A range of posts working for Cheshire County Council and a spell at Ellesmere Port Borough Council, covering a variety of work including preparation of a County Structure Plan, Local Plan, input to Regional Planning Guidance, development proposal consultations, infrastructure programming, and policy research.