Local government must look beyond conventional consultation approaches to drive forward the environmental agenda that Westminster is so easily abandoning, writes Adam Lent.

13th September, 2023


We worked with Stockport Council, Healthwatch Stockport and the People and Community Voice Sub-Group in Greater Manchester to shape proposals for how people and communities can be put at the core of the new ICS model and Locality Board...

12th September, 2023


There are signs that community power could be becoming a political reality. We speak to TPXimpact’s Claire Hazelgrove on the imperative of seizing the moment.

11th September, 2023


Xia Lin from Toynbee Hall introduces a research method designed to embed resident participation in local change-making.

6th September, 2023


Xia Lin from Toynbee Hall introduces a research method designed to embed resident participation in local change-making and explains how co-design principles can be used to level the power playing field.

6th September, 2023


Following the great discussion at Stronger Things 2023, TPXimpact bring you this interactive and instructional event to help you make Community Power tangible in your place. This online workshop is open to all whether you are a New Local...

10th July, 2023


Big Local is a Lottery funded programme that committed £1m each to 150 neighbourhoods across England. These communities were given 10-15 years to spend the funding, at their own pace and according to their own plans and priorities. The...

29th June, 2023


The Islington Inequality Taskforce was established to develop recommendations for how Islington Council could address inequality and poverty, taking account of residents’ hopes and aspirations.

16th June, 2023


Councils are constantly looking for new ways to engage their residents, from citizens’ assemblies to listening sofas. Critical to doing this well is to understand and to tell the story of the relationship between citizen and state. What should...

15th June, 2023


Shuff Tariq and Sarah Cooke explain how Manchester delivered one of the most successful homelessness projects in the UK.

5th April, 2023


Shuff Tariq and Sarah Cooke explain how Manchester delivered one of the most successful homelessness projects in the UK.

4th April, 2023


About the project New Local supported Wokingham Borough Council to shape its Programme around Community and Partnerships. This involved assessing its current position, identifying future aspirations, and shaping the tools and strategies to support a more collaborative and community-powered...

3rd April, 2023





The Local Government Association, New Local and TPXimpact are working together on an exciting project to capture and celebrate examples of innovative community engagement.    Over the past few months, we’ve heard inspiring stories of councils, communities and partner...

6th March, 2023


The Local Government Association, New Local and TPXimpact are working together on an exciting project to capture and celebrate examples of innovative community engagement.    Over the past few months, we’ve heard inspiring stories of councils, communities and partner...

6th March, 2023



Ben Hughes from Essex County Council shares his experience of setting up the Essex Recovery Foundation and putting the community at the heart of service design.

15th February, 2023


In this instalment of our ‘How We Did It’ event series, Ben Hughes from Essex County Council shares his experience of setting up the Essex Recovery Foundation which is not only person-led, but community-powered, with former service-users integral to...

8th February, 2023


New Local’s Polly Lord and Tom Chigbo from TPXimpact share some of the learnings from their research on innovative community engagement, carried out with the LGA.

7th February, 2023


There has been a growing importance placed on the relationship between the council and its residents. Over recent years, we have seen the increased popularity of engagement methods like citizen assemblies and strength-based service approaches, that have brought more...

20th January, 2023


Given current challenges around local government finance, increasing revenue is top of the agenda for all councils right now. Additional investment is needed to fulfil your ambitions and provide high quality places where people want to live.   Many councils...

20th January, 2023


Drawing on recent work in Edmonton, North London, Nicola Steuer charts an impactful and cost-effective route for Integrated Care Systems to tackle health inequalities.

17th January, 2023


Shane Devlin shares the learnings from Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire health and care system in their new community engagement approach.

15th December, 2022


The Inequality Taskforce was established to develop recommendations for how Islington Council can go about addressing inequality, poverty and deprivation. It is a key part of the Let’s Talk Islington engagement exercise with the borough’s residents to discover their...

2nd December, 2022


With a difficult winter looming, councils are searching for innovative ways to support their residents. In our latest ‘How We Did It’, Alison Dunn of Gateshead Council shares her experience of setting up a coordinated warm spaces project.

22nd November, 2022


New Local has been working with Islington Borough Council’s Inequality Taskforce to launch a bold new approach to tackling inequality in one of London’s most deprived boroughs. We spoke to the taskforce members to explain their approach, and the...

18th November, 2022


We live in unprecedented times, where we are facing increasing emergencies in our communities. From Covid-19 to the cost-of-living crisis; the answer to solving these issues sits with our residents.

14th November, 2022


Warwickshire County Council came to New Local with a big ambition: to create a community powered county.

10th November, 2022


With trust in national politicians reaching new lows, Polly Lord argues that councils are stepping up (again) to lead their local areas through the current crisis.

8th November, 2022


We know the diagnosis: the NHS is at risk from ever-increasing demand. We need a new approach to healthcare that makes prevention a reality – by putting communities first.

4th October, 2022


In the latest of our ‘How We Did It’ event series, Claire Vibert shares her experience of setting up and running a complex and collaborative Poverty Truth Commission in Trafford, Greater Manchester.

20th September, 2022


The current cost-of-living crisis adds to the urgency to not only mitigate the impact of poverty, but to fundamentally rethink how systems can prevent people falling into the deepest forms of hardship. Together with Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF), New...

23rd August, 2022


At a time when debates are polarised, politics feels stale, and the country is looking for answers to big challenges, it is clearer than ever that we need to think differently about public services and policy development. No matter...

4th August, 2022


Communities want to have more influence over the issues they face, the challenges they want to overcome, and the services they use. This report sets out the passion for that change.

4th August, 2022


Jessica Studdert on a new way of treating healthcare: one that puts communities – and therefore prevention – first.

12th July, 2022


Community power is growing as idea and a movement. But what does it mean in practice? What are its implications for policy? And what's next for this new paradigm? New Local Chief Executive Adam Lent tackles some of the...

28th June, 2022


Ideas and reflections on the challenges of: Developing a simple narrative that is owned by partners and communities, not just the council, and reflects the diversity of voices and experiences in the place; Making the narrative meaningful in practice and...

19th May, 2022


Adam Lent interviews Rokhsana Fiaz, Mayor of Newham, on how a community power approach shapes the council’s work and her politics.

28th March, 2022


We spoke to TPXimpact’s Claire Hazelgrove about the importance of giving everyone a voice in change and the practical tips to help the public sector embrace community power.

21st March, 2022


Interview with Waltham Forest's Laura Butterworth on lessons learnt from hosting a citizens' assembly.

28th February, 2022


Grace Pollard explores how organisations can ask themselves: How are we listening? Who are we listening to? And does our listening lead to action?

31st January, 2022


A new campaign seeks support for a route to decentralisation that is more meaningful and radical than the government’s, writes Adam Lent

17th January, 2022


Sheffield University’s Dr Matthew Wood shares three tips for councils aspiring to bring communities into decision making.

5th January, 2022


Meet others who are working on the same stuff as you in these subject-specific deep-dive sessions.

5th January, 2022


Councils that seriously engage their residents build deep relationships of trust that enable them to transform a place together. This kind of shared agenda saves you money, time and aggro down the road because the whole community is bought...

4th January, 2022


A citizens’ assembly can be incredibly powerful. Run it right and you’ll bring together diverse voices from your community to crack your biggest challenges. But delivering this delicate mix of deliberation and decision-making is far from easy. In this...

15th December, 2021


Bonnie Hewson explores how co-production can help rebuild trust between councils and communities.

10th November, 2021


Ideas and reflections centred around three main challenges: Engaging the whole community on climate change. Telling an external story connecting local and global environmental issues. Ensuring climate change is a priority across the council.

8th November, 2021