Local government reorganisation (LGR) is reshaping local government, and a critical facet of this is waste services. Few services are as visible to residents or politically sensitive; missed bins make headlines. New unitary authorities will be taking on both collection and disposal responsibilities, and getting this right will be one of the first tests of credibility for new councils.
To support leaders, Local Partnerships has developed the toolkit Navigating Waste and Resource Services through LGR. This toolkit provides a step-by-step framework from discovery to vesting day, and through to long-term transformation. It balances the immediate priority of keeping services reliable and safe, with the need to lay strong foundations for the ultimate aim of increasing efficiency and improvement.
Although designed for waste, the framework can be applied more widely. Waste services touch every household and cut across governance, infrastructure, contracts, workforce, finance and communication, making them an ideal proving ground. But the same principles of clarifying scope, establishing strong governance, focusing on continuity before harmonisation and building momentum with visible early wins will apply across all frontline services.
For leaders, LGR is not just an administrative exercise but a strategic opportunity. The golden thread is your future vision; it ties service reform to resilience, sustainability and place making. Embedding your vision early provides a North Star for operational choices, priorities and resident engagement.
Sequencing is critical. The toolkit encourages authorities to focus first on day one resilience, then to harmonise services, before finally moving to transformation. This staged approach provides stability while creating space for long-term change that strengthens both services and place.
The earlier you start, the smoother the journey. Local Partnerships is offering free one-to-one workshops to help authorities explore how the toolkit applies to their circumstances. By starting now and keeping future placemaking at the centre, leaders can ensure LGR delivers confident, credible and sustainable services that communities can rely on.
Local Partnerships is an in-house delivery partner jointly owned by the LGA, HM Treasury and Welsh Government. We work solely for the public sector.
If you're interested in booking in a one-to-one session, please contact me at hattie.parke@localpartnerships.gov.uk
Hattie Parke is Strategy Director at Local Partnerships
