Creating a decarbonisation task force to help Bath address the climate crisis, exploring new ways of using the 8,000 vaults under the city, and establishing partnerships between the main public sector bodies were among the ideas discussed at the launch of a major new initiative.
Called Our Shared Future, it brings together the University of Bath and Bath & North East Somerset Council (B&NES) to tackle some of the biggest challenges facing the city by using its existing skills, knowledge and expertise.
The launch on Monday began with a series of workshops exploring the themes of cohesion and inclusivity, infrastructure and climate change in Bath.
These were attended by academics from a range of disciplines at the university along with politicians and officers from B&NES and local organisations,
Initial findings from the workshops were then shared at an evening reception where discussions were chaired by Bath journalist Richard Wyatt.
The chairs of the respective working groups described the progress their initial discussions had made along with plans for next steps.
University of Bath vice-chancellor and president Prof Ian White said as he was new to his role and was working with a new chief executive at B&NES, now was an opportune time to review the contribution that the university could make to the future of the city. 
“I’m delighted that we are in a position to launch this project at the start of the New Year. Working in partnership with the Council, businesses and residents will provide an opportunity to achieve real impact,” he said.
Council leader Dine Romero said the large turnout was testament to how people in Bath were passionate about working together to make the city an even better place to live and work.
“There were some excellent discussions around tackling the climate emergency, our local economy and infrastructure and I hope the range of expertise and perspectives in the room, including both our universities, will enable us to find some innovative solutions to the challenges we face,” she said.
The university also announced its plan to develop a Civic University Agreement committing it to prioritise the economy and quality of life in the city by working alongside partners including schools, colleges, local authorities, charities, the NHS, civil society and businesses. 
Prof White added: “A Civic University Agreement, a pledge of our commitment to the local economy and community, will be a fitting way to formalise our contribution to Bath and the region, and demonstrate how proud we are to be part of this unique city.”
The university, which has just over 15,000 students, has been named as the best in the South West – and the 11th best in the UK – in The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2020. It also had the third-highest degree completion rate of 96.6%, putting it behind only Oxford and Cambridge.
