Audience: UK Central Government

The UK Government’s Warm Homes Plan marks a step change in the drive to make homes warmer, healthier and more affordable to run. Backed by £15 billion of investment and a commitment to upgrade 5 million homes by 2030, it sets an ambitious direction of travel for housing retrofit in England.  Crucially, the Plan recognises that […]

The UK Government’s Warm Homes Plan, published last week, represents a significant moment in accelerating the action needed to make homes warmer, healthier and more affordable to run.   Backed by £15 billion of investment, the Plan aims to improve and upgrade 5 million homes by 2030. Crucially, it is explicit that success will depend on local leadership, with local authorities, combined authorities and mayors playing a […]

The UK faces an acute housing challenge. Demand continues to outstrip supply, with Government setting an ambitious mission to deliver 1.5 million homes over the term of this Parliament. Local authorities play a critical role in meeting this target. We need not only to address housing shortages but also to create sustainable and thriving communities. […]

Local Partnerships was delighted to attend the Civil Service World Awards, an inspiring evening dedicated to recognising the outstanding achievements across the civil service. The event showcased the innovation, dedication, and impact of programmes that make a real difference to communities and citizens. Programme of the Year: Prisoners Building Homes One of the evening’s highlights […]

Building More Council Homes: Insights, Challenges, and Support You Can Access Now How can your council build the capability, confidence and capacity needed to deliver more homes, now and in the future? Is your council looking to build more homes? Whether you are starting out, scaling up or trying to unblock delivery challenges, this webinar is […]

On 26 November, the new series of Stranger Things dropped on Netflix, and by 28 November, 185 councils across England entered their own upside down, where they must continue to operate and serve their residents while their future is in the hands of Ministers. The current programme of Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) set out in […]

Last week’s Budget was not just a fiscal statement, but a roadmap for development, resilience and renewal. The announcements reinforce the principles we at Local Partnerships champion: clarity of purpose, empowered local leadership and frameworks that enable long-term delivery. One of the most significant developments is the confirmation of multi-year capital allocations through 2029-30. This certainty is a […]

We’re delighted to announce that our Contract Management Pioneer Programme (CMPP) team, alongside project funder Crown Commercial Service, has won the “Best People Development Project” category at the Government Commercial Function Awards 2025. This award recognises the team’s outstanding work in boosting commercial capability across local government. Through the CMPP initiative, we are helping councils nationwide strengthen their contract management skills […]

Research released today finds devolution alone does not guarantee success for local areas, and 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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]