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 the purpose behind our new research project with the Local Government Information Unit (LGIU), launching at a parliamentary reception on 27 November. Together, we're exploring the practical steps councils and combined authorities can take to deliver lasting improvement when undergoing large scale change.
The Devolution White Paper and English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill have given us the clearest explanation yet of what the Government sees as the ideal structure of local government: unitary councils as the backbone of local government across the country with strategic authorities working on the big picture above. But we are still left with the question: how should these two levels fit together?
This research examines how they work together to deliver services today, and sets out a vision of how participants and key stakeholders believe this relationship should evolve.
Conversations across the sector have revealed a recurring tension: ambition at the top, but uncertainty on the ground. When responsibilities shift, without clear alignment, gaps open up between tiers of government and momentum is lost.
At the same time, the relationship between central and local government is changing; we're seeing a gradual move away from a dynamic of dependency and towards one of partnership, where mutual respect and shared priorities replace old hierarchies. The most resilient places are those that can speak with a collective voice, supported by clear evidence of what works.
Our research with LGIU combines lived experience with analysis to support those navigating change. Reform is not an end in itself. Done well, it is the means by which local government becomes better able to serve the communities it represents.
We have a wide range of LGR resources freely available to the public sector on our website (localpartnerships.gov.uk/resources) including a recent webinar on the practical steps you can take between submission and decision.
The full research will be available on our website from 27 November.
Adele Gritten is Chief Executive of Local Partnerships
