Press

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

Community Power

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

Community Power • Health and social care

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

Community Power • Housing

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

Climate change

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

Community Power • Conservatives • Levelling Up • Politics

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

Community Power • Community Power The Evidence

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

Disabilities • DWP • Employment • Mental health

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

Mutual Aid

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