Category: Articles

We're looking for community leaders to develop and lead a major new campaign for community power.

18th August, 2021

Community Power • Community Power Campaign • Politics

During lockdown, there was a surprising increase in local participation - demonstrating the positive role of community power in emergencies.

16th August, 2021

Community Power • Councils Respond • Democracy • Mutual Aid

For many in local government, the Covid-19 pandemic has been defined not only by huge hardship and challenges, but also by renewed purpose, new partnerships and rediscovered passion for their work. As society takes steps towards ‘normality’, we ask...

4th August, 2021

Council Voices • Covid-19 • Local government

The causes and effects of climate change are different in every part of the UK. If we want to achieve ‘net zero’ carbon emissions, we need local solutions to this national problem.

28th July, 2021

Climate change • Environment • Leadership • Research Reports

Local government finance can be mystifying. Taxes, rates, grants; shifting parametres and endless micro reforms. And yet how councils get their money has inescapable consequences for our places and services. Luckily, Jessica Studdert is on-hand to shed a light...

23rd July, 2021

Explainer • Local government • Local government finance • Local government reform • Long read

Thinking of climate change through a local lens can help us find practical solutions, and stop searching for silver bullets. Luca Tiratelli on our new research project in partnership with Groundwork and Grosvenor.

15th July, 2021

Climate change • Community Power • Environment • Research Reports

In the UK, access to healthcare may be egalitarian in principle, but outcomes are becoming less and less equal. Spurred on by the experience of Covid, a growing movement is building solutions - not within hospitals or GP surgeries,...

8th July, 2021

Community Power • Health and social care • Inequality • Long read

Rising demand, poor outcomes, public expectations and the need to bring humanity to healthcare are why giving more power to communities is the change the NHS needs argues Luca Tiratelli.

1st July, 2021

Community Power • Health and social care

Last month, Camden Council became the 54th member of New Local’s network of councils. Director Nick Kimber explores how community power is helping to build a better borough, and why […]

28th June, 2021

Council Voices • Councils Respond • Members • Strategy and leadership

How can we make sure integrated care systems work for local people? Alex Fox argues we need to avoid just integrating bureaucracies, but take the opportunity to put patients' needs first.

23rd June, 2021

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

Robyn Vinter on how people in the north of England are hungry for change in their area, and why it needs to be locally-led to succeed.

21st June, 2021

Community engagement • Devolution and reorganisation • Economy and business • Strategy and leadership

New Local board member Raj Jain on moving beyond an "ill-health service".

8th June, 2021

Community Power • Health and social care • Public Health • Strategy and leadership

What are the practical ways to make community power an everyday practice, not just a long-term ambition?

3rd June, 2021

Community Power • Strategy and leadership

Ever wondered what your council tax was spent on, or what goes on inside a town hall? Read this explainer to find out.

27th May, 2021

Devolution and reorganisation • Explainer • Local government

Steve Skinner explores the features of strong communities and how local authorities can support them - from the grassroots up.

25th May, 2021

Community engagement • Strategy and leadership

Mark Pepper was born and bred in Lawrence Weston, an historically neglected estate on the outskirts of Bristol. After one of the area’s last public spaces was closed, Mark and […]

24th May, 2021

Case study • Community Power • Community Voices • Podcast • Regeneration

The NHS as we know it is increasingly unsustainable. These graphs show why - and how we need to change the way the NHS works if we want to protect its future.

20th May, 2021

Health and social care • Public Health • Public Services

What's the role of inclusive growth in recovering from crisis? It's easy to see as a 'nice-to-have', but can be at the centre of helping us build back better.

18th May, 2021

Economy and business • Inclusive Growth • Research Reports • Welfare

Luca Tiratelli on how the Queen's Speech defines politics as something only done in Westminster, and why we need a community-first way of understanding democracy.

17th May, 2021

Political Systems • Politics • Third sector and civil society

Demand on the NHS is rising. To protect the future, the health service needs more than internal reform - it needs to reach outwards.

13th May, 2021

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

All over the world, people are coming together to make decisions on some of the major issues we're facing today. But what is the potential for real consensus vs conflict? And does this modish form of community power have...

11th May, 2021

Citizens Assemblies • Community engagement • Community Power • Democracy • Local government • Long read

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