Francesca Gains is a Professor of Public Policy at the University of Manchester and researches governance reform including the new Police and Crime Commissioner role, and equality and diversity in policy making. 

She was part of a team which evaluated the introduction of the first city mayors and has done research for the Centre for Public Scrutiny on the introduction of Health Scrutiny, the Standards Board for England, the Lyons Review of Local Government and the Roberts Commission on the future of councillors. 

She tweets on policy making, Manchester and cycling on @francescagains