New Local statement on Deputy Prime Minister’s speech at Local Government Conference 2025
Responding to Government announcements today, Place-Based Public Service Budgets report co-authors, New Local Chief Executive Jessica Studdert and Professorial Research Fellow at Southampton University John Denham, said: “We are pleased to...
3rd July, 2025
Community Power • Future Councils • Place-Based Public Service Reform • Total Place
New Local Appoints Jessica Studdert as Chief Executive
New Local has appointed local government and public service reform expert Jessica Studdert as its new Chief Executive
19th November, 2024
Give communities power over planning to achieve housebuilding goals
A new report from think tank New Local warns that the government’s plans for housebuilding targets will be at risk unless the planning system gives communities more power and...
23rd October, 2024
Adam Lent steps down as New Local Chief Executive
Dr Adam Lent has announced his departure from New Local, after seven years leading the think tank and network.
26th February, 2024
To revive public services, bring back place-based budgets
A former secretary of state is calling for Total Place style pooled budgets as the best use of public spending when there is no financial quick fix for public...
31st January, 2024
Community engagement • Devolution and reorganisation • Health and social care • Local government • Local government finance • Place-based budgets • Public Services
New Research: Community-powered initiatives help tackle health inequalities
In-depth study highlights significant role played by Big Local programme in preventing ill-health and alleviating demand pressures on healthcare services
11th December, 2023
Big Local • Community Power • Healthcare • Local Trust • Public Health
Katie Kelly joins New Local as Chair
New Local appoints Katie Kelly as its new Chair. Katie is the former Depute Chief Executive of East Ayrshire Council and is one of the leading voices on community...
2nd November, 2023
Local leaders set out route for Labour to deliver ambitions in government
Council leaders have set out a roadmap for reforming public services and rebuilding trust under a future Labour government, starting with giving meaningful power and influence to communities.
26th September, 2023
Devolution and reorganisation • Labour • Local government • Policy • Politics • Public Services • Strategy and leadership
Donna Hall retiring as New Local Chair
Donna Hall will retire from her role chairing New Local at the end of 2023, after five years.
9th May, 2023
New Local strongly welcomes report from Labour Commission on the UK’s Future
Independent thinktank New Local has strongly welcomed today’s Labour report, calling it a major advance on the debate about devolution and power. New Local chief executive Adam Lent comments:...
5th December, 2022
NHS risks losing founding principles unless it invests in community-led health
The NHS could cease to be fair and free at point of use, unless it shifts focus to building health in the community, new research has found.
12th July, 2022
New poll: Only 14% trust Government to solve cost of living crisis
Two thirds of people do not trust national politicians to address the mounting cost of living crisis.
8th May, 2022
Community Power • Community Power Campaign • Devolution • Leadership • Local government • Politics
NEW RESEARCH – Give people power over planning to recover from housebuilding crisis
Giving councils and communities more power to drive new development will finally start to solve a housing crisis made worse by decades of government reform, finds new research. Housing...
17th November, 2021
Government is holding local areas back in quest for net zero
Councils lack the powers and resources they need to meet net-zero targets or adapt to the effects of climate change, says a new report urging the Government to devolve...
20th October, 2021
New Tory MPs: We need to put power into hands of communities to level up the country
In a paper published by New Local, ten Conservative MPs elected in 2019 have said its time for their party to ‘trust the people’ and caution that money alone...
2nd October, 2021
Evidence proves the value of community power – now it’s time for political action
Giving people power over their places and services produces huge benefits, new research shows, and should be reflected in new legislation.
23rd February, 2021
Scrap DWP-run job support and let local areas provide better help for disabled people
With millions at risk of losing their jobs, people with disabilities and health conditions in long-term unemployment should be supported locally, removing this responsibility from the Department for Work...
29th October, 2020
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.
7th October, 2020
NEW RESEARCH: Mutual Aid groups have been an ‘indispensable’ in COVID response. Here’s how we build them into our future.
Mutual Aid groups have been an indispensable part of the country’s response to COVID-19, powered by people on furlough. Research published today (14 July 2020) by the New Local...
13th July, 2020
Councils’ economic confidence plummets but faith in community hits all-time high
Embargoed until 28 May, 00.01. Report will be available here after this time. Over three-quarters (78%) of council chiefs call for more funding to help deal with COVID-19, with...
27th May, 2020
Statement: ‘Dangerously low’ settlement for vital local government
On 28 April, the government announced allocations of a £1.6bn settlement for local government to deal with the immediate impacts of coronavirus. It is a figure that rows back...
30th April, 2020
Poor air quality ‘top concern’ for councils, but most feel ill-equipped to tackle it
Download the full report Poor air quality is a ‘top concern’ for councils, but most feel unable to address it, the latest NLGN Leadership Index has found. In the...
22nd January, 2020
Only 5% of council leaders optimistic about Brexit, as planning eats up resources
Key Findings: Councils are increasingly pessimistic about the impact of Brexit. 71% of council chiefs expect it to have a negative or very negative impact on their local economy...
29th October, 2019
Government must adopt a radical new approach to children’s services to avert the growing crisis
New research: In the wake of the Spending Round, NLGN think tank argues the Government must adopt a radical new approach to children’s services to avert the growing crisis....
9th September, 2019
Cash-strapped councils reveal deep concern over lack of funding to address violent youth crime
New Survey: As violent youth crime spirals, cash-strapped councils reveal deep concern over lack of Government funding to address the crisis. A respected quarterly survey found that 75 per...
20th August, 2019
New survey: Government targets to end rough sleeping will not be met, with over 40 per cent of councils saying they cannot eradicate rough sleeping by 2027
A respected quarterly survey found 41 per cent of councils think they are unlikely to eradicate rough sleeping by 2027 26 per cent of council chiefs say they are...
3rd April, 2019
New Survey: Universal Credit is leading to a rise in homelessness across the UK, particularly in urban areas
On the one-year anniversary of the Homelessness Reduction Act, a respected quarterly survey found that 65 per cent of council chiefs think Universal Credit is increasing homelessness in their...
3rd April, 2019
New survey: on the one-year anniversary of the Homelessness Reduction Act, councils reveal they lack the funding to fulfil their new statutory duty to prevent homelessness
A respected quarterly survey found 67 per cent of councils think they do not have sufficient funding to fulfil their statutory duty to prevent homelessness Only 19 per cent...
3rd April, 2019
Councils’ leaderships reveal Brexit’s negative impact on community cohesion
Over half of local authority chiefs believe Brexit is having a negative impact on community cohesion, with many areas witnessing a rise in hate crime and division. Less than...
29th January, 2019
Cuts force councils to neglect preventative services despite Government aspirations
A respected quarterly survey found a very significant gap between what council chief executives and leaders feel they should be spending on prevention and what they actually spend. This...
29th January, 2019
Survey reveals steep decline in council capacity to deliver social care
The confidence of council leaderships in their capacity to deliver adult social care has declined by over 20 per cent in just eight months. Survey also found that 97...
24th October, 2018
Declining appetite for outsourcing in local government – time to rethink partnerships between the public and private sectors
New research reveals a declining appetite for outsourcing in local government, amidst call for a rethink in partnerships between the public and private sectors. A survey of council leaderships...
9th October, 2018
Council Chiefs Sound Alarm on Brexit
Nationwide survey finds overwhelming majority of Council Leaders and Chief Executives think Brexit will damage local economies. Large majority also say they are receiving inadequate support from Government to...
5th March, 2018
NLGN’s Changemaking Vision
Central government must give councils maximum support in their efforts to create innovative, collaborative and confident workforces through culture change. Government’s obsession with structures in local government risks undermining...
12th February, 2018
Working Together for more Homes
Government should raise Housing Revenue Account for local authorities to tackle housing crisis By reconsidering the borrowing cap for local authorities and re-introducing the Affordable Homes Guarantee Scheme, councils...
11th December, 2017
Reaching Out: Influencing the Wider Determinants of Health
The Industrial Strategy must recognise the importance of public health in economic growth Government must acknowledge health as an economic asset that boosts workforce productivity Over 85% of senior...
28th November, 2017
NLGN response to the housing white paper
Strong political leadership urgently needed, not just regulatory change Adam Lent, NLGN director said: “The housing crisis in the UK is as much about politics as it is about...
7th February, 2017