New research finds devolution alone does not guarantee success for local areas. Councils need clarity, coherence and a long-term plan from Government to deliver devolution at scale.The report, from the LGIU (Local Government Information Unit), supported by Local Partnerships, concludes that a model of governance which improves regional economic outcomes, supports housing growth, tackles inequality, embeds fiscal sustainability and […]
New research – LOOKING TO 2050: The future of local government – finds devolution alone does not guarantee success for local areas.
Councils need clarity, coherence and a long-term plan from Government to deliver devolution at scale.
The report, from the LGIU (Local Government Information Unit) and Local Partnerships, concludes that a model of governance which improves regional economic outcomes, supports housing growth, tackles inequality, embeds fiscal sustainability and strengthens climate resilience can be built – but will require a purposeful design of roles, responsibilities and long-term direction.
CMPP Housing tools have been developed to ensure they are relevant and useful to Council Housing teams and those working around Housing functions.
CMPP is a partnership to support good practice in contract management offering training, networking and direct support. Accredited training is provided through the Cabinet Office, whilst Crown Commercial Services and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government have provided resources to enable Local Partnerships to provide wrap-around support for participating councils.
Senior leaders from the Powys Public Services Board (PSB) gathered for a workshop to explore how their organisations can continue to work collaboratively to address climate risks and build resilience within the county. Facilitated by Local Partnerships, it focused on the growing threats posed by a changing climate and built on the collaborative work of the PSB’s county-wide climate risk assessment. Drawing on real experiences, including recent wildfires and the 2022 heatwave, attendees looked at how climate risk actions […]
As local authorities grapple with implementing Local Government Reorganisation (LGR), the challenge is no longer about whether reform is necessary, but how to make it work in practice. At Local Partnerships, we believe devolution and LGR should be viewed not as a disruption to be managed, but as an opportunity to strengthen local power. That’s […]
Local authorities had been asked whether they had included climate as a corporate risk and whether their services and assets were prepared for extreme weather becoming the new normal. The reality of climate change was no longer distant; it had already arrived.
We are thrilled to announce that Wayne George, Director at Local Partnerships, has been named Project Professional of the Year at the prestigious Association for Project Management (APM) Awards. Wayne’s achievement reflects his outstanding leadership and expertise in delivering the Connected and Automated Mobility (CAM) data discovery project, commissioned by the Department for Transport and the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles. Delivery […]
England is entering its most ambitious phase of local government reorganisation (LGR) and devolution in decades. The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, introduced in July 2025, sets out a bold vision for streamlined, empowered local governance. But without clear delineation of roles and responsibilities – and without central departments actively enabling clarity – we […]
As England moves toward implementing Simpler Recycling for households, local authorities will need to introduce separate food waste collections. This expert-led session explored how councils can effectively plan, procure, and deliver these new services.
What you will learn:
insights on planning and delivering a successful roll-out, with practical advice on procurement, contracts and securing sustainable offtake routes
how to create a culture of food waste separation through effective communication, behaviour change, and community engagement
how to address the challenges of urban environments, including flats and HMOs
Last week I was delighted to join Rebecca Evans MS, the Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, at the official visit to the Council’s new solar energy scheme in Rhondda Cynon Taf. Representatives from across this remarkable collaboration came together for the visit, including Welsh Government Policy Advisors, colleagues from Ministry of Housing Communities and […]
This LGR webinar from Local Partnerships, with contributions from councils who have been through the process, explores the “no-regrets” actions you can take now to save time, money and stress later.
Every journey through LGR (Local Government Reorganisation) is different, but the challenges and uncertainty are familiar to all.
This session offers practical guidance for councils navigating LGR, focusing on the crucial period between submission and decision. There is particular emphasis on Programme Management Office (PMO) setup and data collection and analysis.
Adele Gritten says clarifying roles in England’s evolving governance landscape is crucial to avoiding replication and unlocking strategic potential. As England embarks on its most ambitious phase of local government reorganisation (LGR) and devolution in decades, the potential for duplication between nascent, emerging Strategic Authorities and existing Unitary councils is becoming increasingly apparent. The English […]
Nearly all the UK’s local authorities have adopted a net zero target, be that for 2030, 2050 or somewhere in between. However, the emission sources included in these targets, and what is consequently reported on, is variable. Whilst emissions from electricity and gas consumption are consistently included, it is supplier emissions which are too often […]
Councils will get new support to manage the challenges of devolution and local government reorganisation (LGR) through new partnership research by Local Partnerships and the LGIU (Local Government Information Unit). The new strategic partnership will launch with an inaugural research project launched in November, exploring how current working relationships between local and combined authorities could […]
Energy Performance Contracting (EPC – formerly Re:fit) case studies.
In the face of the climate emergency and tightening fiscal constraints, public bodies must find smarter, faster routes to decarbonisation and energy resilience. The EPC (formerly Re:fit) framework provides exactly that: a proven delivery mechanism for energy efficiency, low-carbon retrofit and renewable generation projects in the public sector. Below we bring together a curated set of case studies that illustrate how councils, universities, NHS trusts and other public institutions are using EPC / Re:fit to drive real savings, reduce carbon emissions and modernise infrastructure.
Each case study captures a journey — the baseline challenges, the technical interventions, the financing approach, and the measurable outcomes. Taken together, they tell a story of how the EPC / Re:fit route is enabling scalable, credible progress toward net zero across diverse geographies and building portfolios.
Nearly all the UK’s local authorities have adopted a net zero target, be that for 2030, 2050 or somewhere in between. But with 80%+ of an organisation’s emissions typically arising from the goods and services it purchases (rather than from its own buildings, vehicles etc.), getting close to net zero isn’t possible without looking at our purchasing processes and decisions.
In what could be a technical and complex area, the Managing Supply Chain Emissions webinar provided a practical introduction to some of the challenges and opportunities of addressing supply chain emissions.
Joining Edward Barlow was the Procurement Solution Lead of Oxygen Finance, Debbie Lyons. This webinar was provided as part of the Strategic Partnership between Local Partnerships and Oxygen Finance.
Talk to Us
