The 2026 Local Government Challenge reached the midway point at Challenge 3 hosted by Stockport MBC where the cohort worked with both the council and the Mayoral Development Corporation on a regeneration and community engagement challenge.
The area is home to the UK's biggest town centre regeneration programme and the Mayoral Development Corporation brings together the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Stockport MBC, and Homes England to turbo-charge planning, coordination and delivery of large scale regeneration and infrastructure projects. As Stockport enters the next phases of development, they are prioritising maintaining communication and trust with residents, including showcasing the benefits that all communities can gain from regeneration wherever they live in the borough.
The challenge therefore set for the cohort was how Stockport MBC and Mayoral Development Corporation could work together on community engagement and help residents clearly understand how decisions are made, where they can influence outcomes, and how regeneration and its benefits connects to everyday life.
Team Paradigm, captained by N'jaindeh Lungoci from Hackney LBC, focused their engagement activities on a traffic light system to empower communities around the stage of influence of each regeneration project and how to engage, plus a new permanent installation for resident engagement at the popular ‘Stockroom' community hub. A creative exhibition of personal local stories about positive regeneration impacts across the borough aimed to help build trust with the local community, whilst embedding neighbourhood approaches into the council and development corporation's work could maintain engagement in the long-term.
Starting the challenge with an insider view into the work and culture of the council, the cohort had the chance to attend the all colleague briefing to hear from the leader, chief executive and officers from across the council; one of the highlights being examples from colleagues across the breadth of services about their recent individual achievements for residents. Conversations with the chief executive and leader followed with the opportunity to discuss the challenge focus in more detail, before a series of walking tours with senior officers from the council and the Mayoral Development Corporation to view the diverse range of recent regeneration across the town.
From the historic old town, to the Stockport Interchange which brings together a new bus station with Viaduct Park situated above, as well as visiting out-of-town residential areas, the cohort were able to discuss different priorities and how change is experienced across different areas and communities. The second day provided the valuable chance to meet the deputy leader and officer colleagues from the council and Mayoral Development Corporation to test their ideas and gain feedback to help further refine their proposals ahead of presenting to the judging panel.
Both teams developed proposals which built on the existing ‘One Stockport' brand with highly visual concepts to keep residents informed and updated, and routes to reaching out to all communities to continue trust-building and engagement.
For Team Athena, captained by Aaron Clarke from South Cambridgeshire DC, this centred on a joint engagement model to help residents gain greater understanding of and connection to the council and Mayoral Development Corporation. A shared visual identity brought to life questions and benefits of regeneration plans through branded hoardings, whilst a locality-focused approach aimed to ensure engagement was accessible and long-term via schools and new ‘listening rooms'. A broader aim to link construction activity to local skills, employment and social value was also proposed through the creation of a ‘Construction Hub'.
Team Paradigm, captained by N'jaindeh Lungoci from Hackney LBC, focused their engagement activities on a traffic light system to empower communities around the stage of influence of each regeneration project and how to engage, plus a new permanent installation for resident engagement at the popular ‘Stockroom' community hub. A creative exhibition of personal local stories about positive regeneration impacts across the borough aimed to help build trust with the local community, whilst embedding neighbourhood approaches into the council and development corporation's work could maintain engagement in the long-term.
Both teams were commended by the judging panel for their impressive ideas and insightful perspectives garnered in just 24 hours in Stockport but it was Team Paradigm which was awarded the win for their clear, practical and implementable ideas, building upon the successful work and partnerships already in place.
Virginia Ponton is adviser – Leadership and Talent, Local Government Association
