Tag: Central government

The Government’s recent cabinet statement lays out a bold and comprehensive set of plans for devolution and public service reform that will fundamentally change where power lies in our country. […]

26th August, 2026

Central government • Community Power • Public Services

This article was first published in The New Statesman on 20 July 2026. The best-known achievements of Burnham’s Manchester are economic. Its most enduring legacy may end up being institutional. […]

28th July, 2026

Central government • Community Power • Devolution • Public service reform

New Local response to the English Devolution White Paper

16th December, 2024

Central government • Local government • Politics

The government needs an overarching strategy for public service reform that dispenses with traditional Whitehall ‘business as usual’ assumptions, writes Jessica Studdert.

13th December, 2024

Central government • Community Power • Local government • Public Services • Strategy and leadership

As the NHS grapples with significant challenges, a new approach to public consultation is giving citizens and healthcare staff the power to shape its future. In the largest-ever conversation about […]

4th December, 2024

Central government • Healthcare • Public Services • The NHS

The new Government has an opportunity to shift the institutions at SW1 to actively seek insight beyond its small postcode, says Jessica Studdert.

11th November, 2024

Central government • Community Power • Devolution and reorganisation • Local government • Policy • Public Services

Jessica Studdert identifies three shifts local government needs from the first fiscal event of the new Parliament.

23rd October, 2024

Budgeting • Central government • Local government • Politics • Public Services

The traditional siloed model of public services is ineffective for complex societal problems. But three public spending shifts can change this.

20th September, 2024

Central government • Local government finance • Person-centred funding • Policy

New MPs have arrived for their first day on the job, the Cabinet is in post, and the wheels of government are turning once more. Catriona Maclay puts forward nine lessons that can be learnt from local government.

11th July, 2024

Central government • Community Power • Local government • Politics • Public Services • Strategy and leadership

As she steps into an interim CEO role, Jessica Studdert puts forward three proposals for the next government, at a critical time for councils.

13th May, 2024

Central government • Devolution • Local government • Local government finance • Place-based budgets • Total Place

The intent behind Michael Gove's announcement was not to improve productivity – and it won’t, writes Adam Lent.

31st January, 2024

Central government • Local government • Local government finance

This report sets out a new approach to public service investment and reform in England. By identifying all public money spent within a local area, and enabling it to be used more flexibly, spending could be more closely aligned...

31st January, 2024

Budgeting • Central government • Community Power • Health and social care • Local government • Local government finance • Place-based budgets • Public Services

Radical devolution was a key talking point at Labour party conference, but Keir Starmer's speech didn't deliver on the detail, writes Katy Oglethorpe.

23rd October, 2023

Central government • Community Power • Devolution • Labour • Local government • Politics

Government action is needed to ensure councils' ambitious and expansive vision for preventative work can be realised, writes Grace Pollard.

7th August, 2023

Central government • Community Power • Devolution and reorganisation • Local government • measuring

Adam Lent argues that mayors and councillors need to urgently step into the void left by Westminster climate complacency and start having real, difficult conversations.

25th July, 2023

Central government • Climate change • Community Power

What is Labour’s vision for community power? Is the party serious about handing over control to local areas, and their people, if they win the next election? How do they […]

20th July, 2023

Central government • Devolution and reorganisation • Labour • Stronger Things

Devoid of a transformational vision, Oflog will fail to improve performance, writes Adam Lent.

13th July, 2023

Central government • Community Power • Innovation • Local government

Urgent action is needed in response to the growing number of people affected by deepening poverty in the UK. Developed in partnership with the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, this report sets out a framework to support local areas to design...

10th May, 2023

Central government • Community Power • Local government • Participation and co-production • poverty • Public Services

In collaboration with The Joseph Rowntree Foundation, we have developed a framework to support local areas to make progress towards designing out the most severe forms of hardship.

10th May, 2023

Central government • Community Power • Local government • Participation and co-production • poverty • Public Services

Hear why we think Stronger Things might just be the most valuable eight hours of your year.

21st April, 2023

Central government • Community Power • Health and social care • Local government • Public Services • Stronger Things

Leading under pressure needs to become a discipline in itself, argues Adam Lent.

17th April, 2023

Central government • Community Power • Leadership • Local government • Public Services

Ahead of the Spring Budget, Joe Sarling makes the case for a new economic vision with resilience at its heart.

13th March, 2023

Budgeting • Central government • Economy and business • Finance • Local government finance • Policy • Public Services • Resilience

In the first instalment of our New Thinking series, Alex Fox and Chris Fox examine the state of public services in the UK today, and make the case for whole system reform.

2nd March, 2023

Central government • Community Power • Local government reform • Public Services

The centre has lost its ability to govern and radical change is needed, writes Adam Lent.

14th February, 2023

Central government • Community Power • Devolution • Local government

Labour need to think beyond the boundaries of normal institutional reform and turbocharge the imaginative change already happening on the ground, writes Adam Lent.

17th January, 2023

Central government • Community Power • Engagement • Local government

Polly Lord outlines what's needed in any Take Back Control Bill to make it meaningful for communities.

13th January, 2023

Central government • Community Power • Devolution

Dr Simon Duffy takes a look at the benefits of trusting citizens to support each other as shown by the COVID pandemic.

8th December, 2022

Central government • Community Power • Powerful Communities

Laura Charlesworth unpacks what the Autumn Statement means for a health and care system in crisis.

18th November, 2022

Budgeting • Central government • Health and social care

Adam Lent argues that without a much smarter approach, the quality of public services will continue to deteriorate rapidly. The consequences will be profound.

18th November, 2022

Budgeting • Central government • Local government • Public Services • Social Care

Here’s our snapshot on what the Autumn Statement means for local government.

17th November, 2022

Budgeting • Central government • Local government • Public Services • Social Care

Ahead of the Autumn Statement, Adam Lent argues that we need a bold, national ‘invest-to-save’ programme for public services funded by taxes on the wealthiest.

14th November, 2022

Budgeting • Central government • Economy and business

One year on from the spending review, Polly Lord looks at the current picture of public service funding ahead of anticipated cuts in the Autumn budget

27th October, 2022

Budgeting • Central government • Community Power • Economy and business • Local government finance

Adam Lent argues that in an era of repeated crises, Chancellors will ultimately have to focus more on delivering resilience than growth.

6th October, 2022

Budgeting • Central government • Climate change • Economy and business

Joe Sarling explains how the relentless focus on economic growth with central interventions at the expense of communities erodes the very things that would foster resilience, growth and thriving places.

30th September, 2022

Budgeting • Central government • Economy and business • Levelling Up • Local government

In response to the Chancellor’s Growth Plan, we set out some of the key announcements that could impact councils up and down the country.

23rd September, 2022

Budgeting • Central government • Economy and business • Health and social care • Levelling Up • Local government

We’re calling for a Community Power Act, a major piece of legislation which would fundamentally change where power lies in this country. The Act would: Create three new community rights […]

13th May, 2022

Central government • Community Power • Community Power Campaign • Policy

The new Shared Properity Fund promised a lot - slashing bureaucracy, giving local control, creating wealth. So why does it so closely replicate dumped EU funding? Joe Sarling finds a severe case of centralised civil service-ese.

14th April, 2022

Central government • Finance • Levelling Up • Local government finance

Following the leak of Gove’s devolution plans, Adam Lent explores the difference between a devolution designed to empower communities and places and one that is stuck in an outdated focus on growth and productivity.

14th December, 2021

Central government • Community Power • Devolution • Devolution and reorganisation • Politics

A new breed of libertarianism argues that more scientific and data expertise are the only solutions to our democracy’s woes. Adam Lent counters that Westminster’s troubles originate in a crisis […]

25th November, 2021

Central government • Governance • 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

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

How to build relationships with Whitehall and present persuasive evidence to civil servants.

22nd February, 2021

Central government • Community Power • Local government • Members • Partnerships

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

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 pandemic showed how much central government tightens its grip in a crisis. But it's the connection with local goverrment, not just power that's the problem.

6th October, 2020

Central government • Devolution and reorganisation • Strategy and leadership