Resource Type: Guide

How can councils help shape the energy infrastructure needed to support housing, regeneration and local growth?

Regional Energy Strategic Plans (RESP), led by the National Energy System Operator (NESO), introduce a new regional layer of energy planning across England, Scotland and Wales. They will help shape where and when energy infrastructure investment takes place, with significant implications for local growth and decarbonisation ambitions.

With NESO inviting participation in RESP Strategic Boards and Working Groups, this guide helps local and combined authorities consider what they need to put in place to take an effective role in regional energy planning.

Drawing on interviews with local authorities, it sets out practical approaches to:

• establishing clear governance, responsibilities and decision-making
• coordinating priorities and representation across a region
• using local evidence to influence infrastructure planning
• building capacity and sharing expertise
• aligning energy investment with local growth and decarbonisation priorities.

An accompanying executive summary provides a concise overview for senior leaders and elected members, explaining why RESP matters, the risks of limited engagement and the organisational arrangements needed to respond effectively.

The guide was funded by West Midlands Combined Authority and draws on learning from the Planning Regional Infrastructure in a Digital Environment (PRIDE) project.

The LGR Guide document is designed to support local authorities in the early stages of the Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) process by outlining key considerations when assessing the status and transfer of diverse assets and liabilities.

It emphasises the importance of sharing asset information at an early stage to build a comprehensive understanding of the full estate and to mitigate potential legacy risks both before and after vesting day.

The guidance is not intended to be prescriptive, but rather to provide a practical framework to help authorities navigate the early planning phase with greater clarity and confidence.

Our FREE CEO Blueprint is designed to enable CEOs to feel confident they have all the bases covered when it comes to council commerciality. Download below.

The CEO Blueprint supports CEOs of all council types and sizes when overseeing commercial activity irrespective of the end outcomes they are seeking to deliver. The key purpose is to maximise the chances of success.

The purpose of Refit business case guide is to provide guidance and information to public sector organisations on the benefits and use of the Re:fit framework to support an options appraisal or business case.

This document is intended to assist you when completing your options appraisal or business case. The text provided within this document contains Re:fit-specific responses that would be suitable (adapted for your organisation and proposed Re:fit project as may be necessary) for relevant areas of the business case.