Hidden gem: Adele Gritten on delivering national priorities locally

As local government reform and the devolution agenda gather pace, CSW speaks to Local Partnerships CEO about helping central government departments bridge policy ambitions and frontline delivery

For those unfamiliar, what is Local Partnerships, and what makes it different from other consultancies?

Adele Gritten: We are an organisation made up of senior individuals who’ve worked in local authorities, central government, or commercial practice. We have a unique ownership structure – owned by the Treasury, the Welsh Government and the Local Government Association. There’s no other organisation with our distinctive public sector structure.

Some people call us the hidden gem in the sector, but I’d like us to be a known gem. We support central government departments deploying projects and delivering long-term programmes. We’re often used as an extension to support capacity and capability. We see things from the local authority perspective, and because of the conversations we have with our owners and central government departments, we have unique vantage points.

The government is progressing local government reform, alongside a renewed push for devolution. How does Local Partnerships fit into that picture?

AG: We’re deeply involved in both. We can act as the rear and forward view mirror between both tracks. We’re not turning off one authority overnight and creating a brand new one the next day. It’s going to be a slow, iterative, gradual process. We can help make sure things happen at pace and at scale. We can help join the dots and support complementary solutions, not duplicative solutions.

We have unique views because of the multiple authorities we work with, seeing things that a director general or a chief executive wouldn’t necessarily see. That’s the essence of what we do: blending strategy and delivery to make reform and devolution work.

What should senior civil servants in central government know about working with you?

AG: Call me or email me. It’s that simple. If I’m not the right person, I will be the conduit to put them in touch with the right directors in my team or the right associate partners. The earlier they bring us into conversations, the more likely it is that we can help stop them going down rabbit holes or reinventing wheels. I may be having one conversation in Treasury that is exactly the same as the conversation I’m having in MHCLG, but their teams don’t necessarily know that, not least in the context of a lot of civil service movement since the election. We work across departments and that gives us a unique perspective on where things are being duplicated, and where collaboration could unlock greater value.

Can you give an example of where Local Partnerships has helped bridge that national-local gap?

AG: Our work on contract management is a great example. Working with MHCLG, LGA and CCS, we supported over 100 local authorities with toolkits, training, and bespoke guidance, streamlining procurement, reducing duplication, and ultimately, improving value for money.

Another standout is our waste infrastructure work with Defra. We acted as lead contractor on their waste infrastructure programme supporting delivery at pace while ensuring alignment with national policy goals. And in Wales, we helped design and deliver a £10m community energy fund, Ynni Cymru.

Our work with the Welsh Government’s Energy Service has led to real-world impact. We supported the decarbonisation of their fleet, helping increase the proportion of low-emission vehicles to 34%,
significantly reducing CO₂ emissions across the public sector.

With so much pressure on public services, how do you help departments balance urgent delivery with longer-term transformation?

AG: By helping them do both. We advise having two dedicated teams: one for the day-to-day, and one for the strategic, long-term work. Most public bodies don’t have the capacity to do both well internally, and that’s where we come in.

We sometimes get brought in to be that critical friend in the middle, to help step back, prioritise and refocus. Whether that means restructuring programmes, improving digital maturity, or building resilience against climate impacts, we help clients stay agile while keeping their long-term vision.

And how has your background helped you in shaping Local Partnerships’ direction?

AG: Having spent 20 years in the commercial sector running companies in research, strategy and transformation, and then working in a local authority during Covid, I realised there was a significant lack of commerciality across the local government ecosystem. When Local Partnerships’ role came up, it looked like a perfect blend of the first years of my career and my experience in the local authority ecosystem.

What’s your key message to central government leaders?

AG: I hope we stop talking about central and local government and just talk about government. Focus on solving problems across the system – whether it’s adult health, social care, housing or temporary accommodation. It can’t be central government mandating or local authorities finger-pointing. We need everyone at the table together, co-creating sustainable, lasting solutions for the future.