New Local Government Network launches new name, brand and website

The independent think tank and network New Local Government Network (NLGN) has changed its name to ‘New Local’, alongside releasing a new visual identity and website.

The change, announced today (12 Oct 2020), reflects New Local’s mission to work alongside the whole of local government, communities and the wider public sector to create empowered communities and stronger public services.

Dr Adam Lent, New Local Chief Executive, says: “Increasingly, our members tell us that their work is no longer about governing in the traditional sense. Instead, they are transforming their areas by mobilising their local communities to address the biggest social challenges, and they are working in close collaboration with partners to deliver a shared vision of place.

“We wanted to reflect this broader outlook in a new name and brand. NLGN felt too narrow for the work we and the whole local government sector are doing now. ”

Prof Donna Hall, New Local Chair, says: “As we have been reminded by Covid-19, there is enormous strength in the ‘local’ – and a huge opportunity to imagine what a ‘new local’ could look like.”

“The name New Local is about looking towards the future: what is the ‘new local’ that we strive for? How do services collaborate every more closely with their communities? How can people regain a say over their lives, and the places where they live and work? What does a meaningful, human version of ‘building back better’ or even ‘taking back control’, look like?”

The name New Local was chosen following a wide consultation with network members. This revealed the gap between perception of NLGN as an organisation (which respondents saw as ‘forward-thinking’ ‘progressive’ and ‘connected’), and how people felt about the NLGN brand and name (where respondents leaned towards ‘establishment’, ‘boring’ and ‘old-fashioned’).

New Local has also launched a new logo and brand.  

Katy Oglethorpe, Director of Communications, says: “The logo’s 3-D effect combined with our signature bright pink (almost literally) stood out to us and the members with whom we consulted, with the ‘blocky-ness’ keeping a nod to the squares that made up the original NLGN logo.”

“The two blocks relate to buildings, places and the idea of constructing resilient places and services. The ‘equals sign’ it creates reflects our ideas of parity between the state and communities; and our vision of creating inclusive places to live.”

The New Local website provides a new home to all upcoming and previous research; blogs, videos and podcasts; events and information about our network.

In the coming weeks it will host two exciting new reports: Dr Simon Kaye’s exploration of the ground-breaking work of Elinor Ostrom: the intellectual hero of the community paradigm movement; and Tom Pollard’s case for a reimagined welfare support system for those who have faced long-term unemployment.

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Notes to Editors

• New Local was founded as New Local Government Network in 1996. It is an independent think tank and network with a mission to transform public services and unlock community power.
• New Local has recently been gaining traction politically. Its 2019 Community Paradigm report made the case for power and resources to be shifted away from central government and towards councils and their communities. These ideas influenced MP Danny Kruger’s recent report for government on how to ‘level up’ communities.
• The New Local website (www.newlocal.org.uk) was developed by Hello Knox and its new brand was designed by Johnson Banks.
• For more information please contact Katy Oglethorpe, Director of Communications, on katy@newlocal.org.uk or 0791 2161 536.

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