Reading Type: Guest essays

In this guest blog, Ian Adams, Chair of Public Voice CIC, argues that public services need to move beyond consultation towards co-production, treating residents as partners in designing services, shaping […]

In this guest article, Mike Barker, Deputy Chief Executive at Oldham Council, reflects on where public service reform is right now. There was a time when ‘community power’ and ‘place-based […]

Over the last decade, community power has become increasingly important to discussions about the future of public services, local government and democratic renewal. Ahead of his keynote speech at Stronger […]

This article was first published in the LGC on 9 June 2026 and previews themes from Sir David Robinson’s keynote address at Stronger Things 2026. As local government grapples with rising […]

Cate McLaurin is a Senior Director at Public Digital, and on June 16th she’ll be joining us on the Stronger Things Big Ideas Stage for our ‘Building to learn’ session. Ahead of that conversation, drawing on her […]