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Morale among Local Government Association (LGA) employees fell dramatically during the year leading up to restructuring though problems were mounting as far back as 2024, staff satisfaction surveys seen by The MJ have revealed.Staff ‘temperature checks' and other surveys released following a Freedom of Information Act request showed that, by last autumn, half of staff felt uncomfortable raising concerns with their managers or even asking about the changes.Just under half (44%) felt negative about the restructuring, with 17% of staff saying they felt ‘very negative', up from 9% the year before.According to the survey, which concluded in early October, 60% of staff believed communication within the LGA was unclear.Impending changes were viewed as having a negative impact on staff wellbeing and motivation, as people started to fear redundancy or managing an increased workload due to staffing cuts. A total of 547 staff were working at the LGA when last autumn's survey was carried out. In January, the organisation detailed plans to reduce its workforce by more than 10%.LGA leaders were later forced to extend their consultation after admitting to staff that a section 188 notice – a legal requirement in the UK that mandates employers to consult with employee representatives when proposing to dismiss 20 or more employees due to redundancy within a 90-day period – had not been sent to union Unison's head office at the start of the consultation period. This was despite the LGA's own guide to redundancy drawing explicit attention to s188 consultations.The LGA launched an independent external review of the restructure by senior partner at law firm Capsticks, Rachael Heenan, earlier this year, with the costs of the confidential evaluation ‘still being finalised'.An earlier survey showed how employee relations were starting to deteriorate at the LGA two years ago.A survey for the LGA's executive by BMG Research reported in April 2024 that staff were becoming more concerned over long working hours, with many doubting the association could manage change effectively.Just 69% were satisfied with opportunities for flexible working, down from 88% in 2022, while only two-thirds thought senior managers were open in communications with staff, down from 76%. A third complained they regularly worked ‘excessive hours', up from 27% two years earlier.One senior LGA insider said: ‘The atmosphere there was through the floor. The worry is the sector's voice will be weakened.'An LGA spokesperson said: ‘We recognise that the transition to a new operating model has been, and continues to be, a source of concern for many.‘We are committed to sharing as much information with staff as possible throughout this process. Our strategic leadership team is working closely with LGA board members to develop a clear plan and next steps, providing reassurance and certainty as we move forward.'

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LOCAL GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION

EXCLUSIVE: Dramatic fall in LGA staff morale revealed

By Neil Merrick, Dan Peters | 16 April 2026

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