People & Change

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...

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...

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,...

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...