Our expertise

Across the country, decisions on local government reorganisation are landing. Structures are being confirmed, shadow authorities are forming, and a wave of councils are moving from the decision phase and into the delivery phase. In this blog, written by Laura Bridges, Director and LGR lead at 31ten, Laura sets out key considerations for councils facing...

As Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) accelerates across England, councils face the challenge of delivering significant structural change while continuing to support economic growth and investment. But how can leaders ensure growth remains a priority when organisational transformation demands so much attention? First-hand insights of LGR Drawing on insights from a recent senior leaders' virtual roundtable...

With the news, and indeed Downing Street abuzz, with talk of a potential No.10 office in Manchester, at 31ten, we are thinking ahead to what this could mean for devolution.   Greater Manchester has been one of devolution’s great success stories.  Arguably, a non-London centric No.10 outpost would be better placed in an ‘up-and-coming’ combined authority, rather than the mature combined authority that is Greater Manchester. However, the proposed...

Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) is often discussed in structural terms; which councils merge, what the new boundaries look like, how services will be configured. But behind every reorganisation decision is a group of leaders facing the far more personal challenge of guiding their people through deep uncertainty, while managing their own. In this blog our...

A new policy for fairness The Government’s reintroduction of a 10‑year rent convergence mechanism marks a significant moment for councils with social rent stock. While convergence policy has existed previously, the new framework creates refreshed opportunity and complex decisions for social landlords. The new policy aims to ensure fairness in the rents charged; at present...

Recent coverage in The Guardian highlights a trend local authorities and colleges have been quietly managing for several years: falling birth rates are now translating into surplus school places. In London, this is particularly acute. Rolls are declining, funding is tightening, and yet the cost of maintaining under-occupied buildings remains stubbornly high.  This is not a short-term fluctuation. Over the past 12 months,...

As councils prepare for Local Government Reorganisation (LGR), attention is increasingly shifting from organisational structures to the practical foundations of the new authorities being created. Crucially this includes the combined public estate - a diverse mix of assets spanning — operational estate (offices, depots, schools), community assets, income-generating assets, infrastructure and specialist facilities such as waste, transport and crematoria.  Land and buildings are...

In 2022, reports of misogyny, racism, and bullying within UK Fire and Rescue Services reached national headlines following the Independent Cultural Review of the London Fire Brigade.  Although the review focused specifically on the London Fire Brigade, its findings resonated across the entire sector. The high-profile coverage prompted Fire and Rescue Services throughout the UK...

Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) presents a rare and time-bound opportunity: a chance to reset, to clarify, and to hand over to new unitaries not a legacy of ambiguity, but a platform for confident delivery. This is a golden opportunity for councils to lay the groundwork for long-term success, even before final decisions on area footprints are confirmed.  Rationalise, Reset and...

LGR offers once-in-a-generation digital opportunities, but tackling the risks is crucial Local government reorganisation is often framed in structural terms. Which councils combine, which boundaries change, who leads the new authorities, what the constitution looks like. All important. But if you want new organisations to feel coherent to residents and staff, the conversation quickly becomes...