The second challenge of the 2026 Local Government Challenge took this year's cohort to the English Riviera, where Torbay Council invited contestants to tackle an issue central to many coastal authorities: how to build a unified sense of place across communities with distinct identities. In Torbay, home to Torquay, Paignton and Brixham, that question speaks to connectivity, economic resilience, sustainable tourism and the lived experience of residents who rely on the coastline as a source of wellbeing, identity and opportunity.
The challenge tasked teams to design a single, connected coastal vision for the Bay - one capable of strengthening physical links, aligning strategic ambitions and enhancing the environmental quality of a 22‑mile coastline.
The challenge was grounded in the council's major strategic frameworks: the Torbay Local Plan, which calls for clearer coordination and stronger placemaking; the Torbay Story, which seeks a more confident and connected narrative; and the English Riviera Destination Management Plan, which emphasises better connectivity and a high‑quality, year‑round offer.
Rather than approaching the challenge location from meeting rooms alone, contestants were afforded an immersive understanding of Torbay's assets and pressures. They travelled across the water by ferry, explored sections of the coastal path alongside environmental experts, and examined the role of beaches as both community assets and visitor experiences.
These site visits across the Bay sharpened the teams' appreciation of coastlines can feel fragmented and highlighted the potential benefits of viewing the waterfront as a continuous public space rather than a series of isolated destinations.
Alongside this first‑hand engagement with place, contestants worked intensively with local officers and partners to understand the operational realities shaping Torbay's future. Sessions with representatives from environmental services, economic development, business networks, parking, harbour operations and town‑level governance gave teams a practical grounding in the complex ecosystem that sustains the area. This cross departmental exposure underscored how any coastal strategy must have ambition and deliverability - a challenge familiar to councils nationwide navigating competing pressures on place‑shaping capacity.
The proposals that emerged reflected this blend of strategic insight and grounded realism. Team Athena, captained by Karl Falconer from Cumberland Council, focused on the role of community collaboration and active stewardship, identifying opportunities to reshape access, improve wayfinding and design local activation projects that could help residents reconnect with the coastline.
Team Paradigm, led by Shannon Kennedy from Wirral Council, developed a unified ‘One Bay' concept, positioning the coastal path as the spine that binds the three towns together physically and symbolically. Their model emphasised neighbourhood‑level engagement, coherent design principles and strengthened digital and physical navigation - elements aligned closely with the ambitions set out in Torbay's strategic documents.
While both teams presented compelling approaches, the judging panel on this occasion felt that Paradigm demonstrated the clearer pathway from concept to delivery, pitching a vision that could be readily grasped, supported and advanced by the council's leadership.
Over the course of the 24hours, contestants were asked to interpret complex place‑based strategies, absorb extensive on‑site intelligence and develop workable solutions under significant time pressure. The experience highlighted how leadership in modern local government often requires both rapid assimilation of unfamiliar contexts and the ability to synthesise insights into a coherent strategic direction.
Beyond the competition, the LG Challenge once again demonstrated the power of immersive learning for future local government leaders.
Michael Barrett, adviser – Leadership, Local Government Association
