Category: Articles

Local government can seem complicated, but it's where local democracy happens. We start our explainer series by looking at the different types of council in England and what they do.

5th May, 2021

Democracy • Devolution • Devolution and reorganisation • Explainer • Local government

Demos’ Jon Nash on the challenges and opportunities for local authorities after the pandemic and a new approach to community engagement pioneered by Demos.

4th May, 2021

Technology • Third sector and civil society

Voters across Great Britain will head to the polls on 6 May 2021 for important national and local elections. But what are the main contenders saying about community power? We’ve read the manifestos so you don’t have to. Part...

30th April, 2021

Devolution and reorganisation • Explainer • Political Systems • Politics

The pandemic has highlighted the gap between local communities and central government. Communities rose to the challenge and came together, central government scrambled to react and lost trust. Jane Dudman explores the year we saw how centralisation affects us...

29th April, 2021

Community Power • Health and social care • Welfare

Voters across Great Britain will head to the polls on 6 May 2021 for important national and local elections. But what are the parties saying about community power and reforming local government? We’ve read the manifestos so you don’t...

28th April, 2021

Devolution and reorganisation • Explainer • Political Systems • Politics

The latest sleaze scandal shines a light on the rot within national politics. But a more serious, community powered model of democracy is emerging at a local level, writes Adam Lent.

27th April, 2021

Central government • Community Power • Leadership • Political Systems • Politics

23rd April, 2021

Devolution and reorganisation • Explainer • Political Systems • Politics

Andy Galloway shares the 'culture hacks' that can help you put people first in your organisation, from the impact of job titles to changing what you measure.

21st April, 2021

How to guide • Strategy and leadership • Third sector and civil society

While capitalism and football have rubbed together for years, the new Super League threatens to sever football clubs from the communities that built and help sustain them, writes Luca Tiratelli.

19th April, 2021

Economy and business

FutureGov's Craig Morbey reflects on the most common challenges that councils face when trying to implement community power approaches and how to overcome them.

12th April, 2021

Community Power • Strategy and leadership

Luca Tiratelli on why the way we define 'community' and 'underused land' will determine the success of the government's new Right to Regenerate.

8th April, 2021

Community Power • Housing

PPL's Claire Kennedy on why 'now' is always the best time for change, and how to get started.

7th April, 2021

Devolution and reorganisation • Strategy and leadership

The Community Ownership Fund announced in the budget is designed to help communities buy local assets. Power to Change’s Nick Plumb looks at the difference that community ownership can make and how to make the new fund a success.

23rd March, 2021

Community Power • Devolution and reorganisation • Economy and business • Place building

We reflect on New Local's recent Stronger Things online event - a range of inspiring conversations about communities and local government making a difference.

19th March, 2021

Community Power

Giving local government more power isn’t a zero-sum game for central government. It can help the civil service improve as well. How devolution could be the missing ingredient of the government’s efforts to reform Whitehall.

17th March, 2021

Devolution and reorganisation • Strategy and leadership

Rishi Sunak's budget announcement raised familiar debates about how to best secure growth. But what if we were measuring the wrong kind of growth? Luca Tiratelli puts forward the case for New Zealand-style Wellbeing Budgets - as a better...

8th March, 2021

Budgeting • Central government • Community Power • Economy and business • Wellbeing

Last week's budget has caused controversy with its low payrise for nurses. But what gained less attention was loosened rules around stock market trading - intending to bring more unregulated investment to the City. It's a paradox that raises...

8th March, 2021

Central government • Economy and business • Finance • Levelling Up

To mark the two-year anniversary of The Community Paradigm, we’ve released a new animation explaining the big idea behind community power. And why it’s needed right now. We’ve also released […]

4th March, 2021

Community Paradigm • Community Power • Explainer • Video

In this podcast, Adam and Jess introduce a brand new preface for the Community Paradigm - reflecting on new context created by the Covid pandemic, and the increased urgency to create sustainable, fairer services.

4th March, 2021

Community Paradigm • Community Power • Podcast

To mark two years since the report's first publication - and to reflect the dramatic change in our national circumstances and outlook - Adam Lent and Jessica Studdert have written a new preface to The Community Paradigm.

4th March, 2021

Community Paradigm • Community Power

Our Budget 2021 explainer for local community funding - from the difference between the Community Renewal Fund and the Community Ownership Fund.

3rd March, 2021

Economy and business • Explainer • Political Economy • Strategy and leadership

Places are where the power of different communties can come together and come to life, write PPL's Claire Kenedy ahead of our Stronger Things 2021 event.

3rd March, 2021

Community Power • Devolution and reorganisation • Third sector and civil society

Ruth Ibegbuna has devoted her career to amplifying the voices and broadening the life choices of young people – particularly those from working-class, BAME and Northern backgrounds. Her current pioneering work includes joining up community members scarred by Brexit...

1st March, 2021

Community Power • Education and skills • Interview • Stronger Things • Young people

Here are six ways we found community power is having a positive impact for people, communities and public services, and some of the brilliant examples that show this in practice.

23rd February, 2021

Community Power • Community Power The Evidence • Monitoring and Evaluation

Community power produces far-ranging benefits. But an ‘evidence paradox’, hard-wired into our policy-making system, is holding back its potential. As we launch our latest report, Community Power: The Evidence, co-author Jessica Studdert addresses the counteractive way we measure success...

23rd February, 2021

Community Power • Community Power The Evidence • Monitoring and Evaluation

Danny Dorling is a social geographer speaking at Stronger Things 2021.

19th February, 2021

Community Power • Economy and business • Strategy and leadership

When Children England asked young people to lead their own inquiry into how to create a welfare state that’s fair for children, they focused on local community-led solutions. Chloe Darlington looks at their ideas, from community health hubs to...

17th February, 2021

Childrens' Services • Health and social care • Welfare

The pandemic has shown the powerful ways communities, civil society and the public sector can come together in response to local challenges. But this kind of cooperative local problem solving – what we call community power – has much...

16th February, 2021

Community Power • Health and social care • Research Reports • Third sector and civil society

How do you try to solve a problem like homelessness? By working with Bridges Outcomes Partnerships, Kirklees Council focused on asking people what they wanted to achieve. How a community-led and ‘asset-based’ approach made a difference.

15th February, 2021

Community Power • Housing

As the vaccine rollout widens, how can local services reach eligible people who remain hesitant to make an appointment? In this how-to guide, the experts from the Behavioural Insights Team look at how to nudge more people to get...

10th February, 2021

Behavioural Insights • Councils Respond • Covid-19 • Health and social care • Local government

Covid-19 has had a severe impact on the social, economic and mental wellbeing of young people. Through a new Listening Project, we'll explore how to build 'cultural communities' for, and with, younger generations. And you're invited to join us....

2nd February, 2021

Childrens' Services • Community Power • Covid-19 • Events • Inequality • Young people

The Covid-19 pandemic has shone a light on how the UK functions: how decisions are made and by whom; the interlocking - or isolated - roles of health care, local government and the private sector - and the 'heroic'...

1st February, 2021

Central government • Covid-19 • Governance • Health and social care • Long read • Strategy and leadership

Together, councils and communities did extraordinary things during Covid-19. Our Shifting the Balance research explores how practices, cultures and attitudes changed - and how to keep hold of some of the advances for the future.

27th January, 2021

Community Power • Covid-19 • Leadership • Local government • Shifting the Balance

Neil Prior, Head of Transformation at Pembrokeshire County Council reflects on the transformation that the Covid-19 pandemic fuelled in his council - particularly in forging a closer relationship between public officials and their local community.

27th January, 2021

Community Power • Community Voices • Council Voices • Local government • Shifting the Balance • Video

Covid-19 has brought unimaginable hardship to local communites, but it has also sparked a shift in mindset, culture and practice that helped many get through the pandemic and will provide valuable lessons for how councils and communities combine to...

13th January, 2021

Build Back Better • Community Power • Covid-19 • Local government • Shifting the Balance • Strategy and leadership

From the start of 2021, HOPE not hate Charitable Trust are starting to build a Towns Leadership Network, to improve community cohesion. The initiative is a central part of their Hopeful Towns project, and aims to support a more...

11th January, 2021

Community Cohesion • Community Power • Leadership • Resilience

Over six months, Pippa Coutts and her colleagues at Carnegie Trust talked to communities across the UK to gather their experience of the Covid pandemic. The resulting ‘Listening Project’ reflects on what has been learnt during this time and...

9th December, 2020

Community Power • Covid-19

A vlog from Katie Kelly, Depute Chief Executive - Safer Communities, at East Ayshire Council in Scotland. In 2013, Katie helped set up the council's Vibrant Communities Service - a ground-breaking approach to sharing power between the local authority...

7th December, 2020

Build Back Better • Community Power • Community Voices • Council Voices • Covid-19 • Interview • Mobilisation • Strategy and leadership

Even before the Covid pandemic, UK skills were falling behind other countries in terms of participation and spending. With huge employment and economic challenges on the horizon, Charlotte Morgan argues that local areas and their communities could transform skills...

26th November, 2020

Devolution • Devolution and reorganisation • Education and skills • Employment • Skills

Most of us recognise that climate change will soon overshadow every crisis that came before. But our approaches to tackling it are too often marred by denial, evasion and false optimism. In this long read, Luca Tiratelli unpacks the...

19th November, 2020

Climate change • Community Power • Environment • Long read

Health care is so much more about what happens in hospitals, writes the former Chief Executive of the English NHS. Instead, it can thrive with the help of 'health creators' - ordinary people creating healthier communities. And it's time...

13th November, 2020

Community Power • Health and social care • Public Health

The crises facing care homes meant social care became part of the news during Covid-19. But how can we look beyond it to building a better system for future generations?

10th November, 2020

Community Power • Health and social care • Public Services • Social Care

The wave of spending cuts about to hit councils is yet another Westminster slap in the face to local communities. Adam Lent argues that we can only stop central government’s abuse by demanding a parliamentary act protecting the rights...

2nd November, 2020

Community Power

Over 2 million people are out of work due to health conditions and disabilities. But each year, only 4% move into employment. Introducing new research This Isn't Working, Tom Pollard argues that support for this group should lie with...

27th October, 2020

Disabilities • DWP • Employment • Mental health • Welfare

In this podcast, we discuss why the DWP report is ill-equipped to support people out of long-term unemployment. And we look at at the community approach that could replace it.

27th October, 2020

Disabilities • DWP • Employment • Health and social care • Mental health • Podcast

The decision to impose Covid restrictions on Greater Manchester is about far more than a political spat, says Adam Lent, it is an extreme example of our rulers' centralist mentalities. A mentality that keeps people powerless and hence keeps...

21st October, 2020

Covid-19 • Devolution and reorganisation • Political Systems

Elinor Ostrom was a Nobel Prize-winning thinker and godmother of the community power movement. Here are three vital lessons her work has for the UK today.

21st October, 2020

Build Back Better • Community Power • Ostrom

The Government’s centralised response and lethal failures on Covid mean it's time to acknowledge that local communities have rights that should be enshrined in law.

15th October, 2020

Central government • Community Power • Long read • Politics

Amid doubts about the government's plans for a devolution white paper, Adam Lent outlines three principles to guide a new approach to reform.

9th October, 2020

Central government • Covid-19 • Devolution • Devolution and reorganisation

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