The period following the May elections, alongside evolving plans for devolution, reorganisation and wider changes in central government, has sharpened the focus on what councils are expected to deliver, and how.
At the Local Government Association (LGA) conference this week, many of these issues will be front of mind. Across the country, authorities are balancing immediate financial pressures with longer-term ambitions around housing, regeneration and inclusive growth. The challenge is no longer just setting direction, but sustaining delivery at pace and at scale.
Place sits at the heart of local government and housing is integral to its delivery. Many councils are looking again at their role as place shapers, often in a more complex financial and policy environment. Unlocking sites, managing risk and building delivery capacity are all live issues.
Through the Council Housebuilding Support Service (CHoSS), a Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government initiative delivered by the LGA with support from Local Partnerships, we are working with councils to navigate those challenges in practice by providing tailored advice, commercial support and tools to help accelerate delivery. Successful housing delivery will depend not just on ambition, but on putting in place the right structures, partnerships and skills to sustain progress over time.
That same delivery challenge is evident in regeneration and growth. Councils are being asked to bring forward investable propositions, unlock stalled sites and translate funding into visible outcomes for their places.
Programmes such as Prisoners Building Homes (PBH) are part of that picture. By linking housing delivery with skills, rehabilitation and social value, PBH demonstrates how councils and partners can take a more integrated approach to growth, in this case delivering homes while also supporting wider community outcomes. Impactful delivery increasingly relies on collaboration across systems, not just within traditional organisational boundaries.
Alongside this, the continued evolution of combined authorities is reshaping how growth is planned and delivered at a larger scale. This creates opportunities for more strategic, place-based approaches, but also raises practical questions about capacity and capability.
These are some of the key challenges we have been discussing with attendees at the LGA conference. If they resonate with you, please get in touch with me at Kristy.Alexander@localpartnerships.gov.uk.
Kristy Alexander is Corporate Director – Client Development, Local Partnerships
