Improvement and innovation bulletin

May 2025

Welcome to May's improvement and innovation bulletin.

Sector support offers

Support after the local government elections

The LGA's comprehensive support offer for new and existing councillors includes our councillor hub. The hub provides a whole host of support and resources to help councillors learn more about the work of the LGA and how we can support councils, including political support. We also offer support to all councils where there is a change of political control, including help with leadership transition post-election, and mentoring for new leaders and portfolio holders.

Finance Unpacked

We have published Finance Unpacked, a new series of animated explainer videos to provide both councillors and officers with an understanding of some of the key concepts within local government finance and audit. The videos can be used to support learning and development for those new in role or as a refresher on key topics. It will be of particular relevance as a resource for new councillor induction programmes.

New guide to recruiting finance professionals

To support local government with a challenging market for recruiting finance professionals, the LGA has worked with CIPFA to produce a financial recruitment project guide. The guide is designed to help public sector employers attract finance professionals from outside the public sector. It is based on the experience of local authorities and local government finance professionals of what works, together with advice from recruitment professionals.

Lead member roundtables

Councillors from across England have taken part in a series of peer-led discussions to develop a greater understanding of key themes and pressures facing housing, children’s services, adult social care and finance. Facilitated by 31ten, these sessions provided space for lead members to share insights, compare local experiences and learn from one another. Read the findings which captures key themes and future opportunities.

Cyber incident grab bag

We have launched our cyber incident grab bag, a practical toolkit designed to help councils take swift and effective action in the event of a cyber incident. The grab bag provides step by step guidance for teams across a council to anticipate the likely challenges they will face and where to find support. The resource also provides guidance on working with elected members during an incident.

National recruitment campaign

The LGA’s flagship Make a difference: work for your local council recruitment campaign has received funding from the UK Government to run again as part of the Sector Support Offer 2025/26. This will build on the success of the previous year’s campaign, which saw two-thirds of councils access the campaign toolkit and saw applications to council jobs increase each month across the campaign’s period, with the greatest increase achieved in January 2025. We will continue to engage with councils to shape the campaign in the upcoming year, and are working closely with regional employer organisations to plan opportunities to participate in the campaign’s development. New promotional materials will be produced including some targeted at young people, alongside a refreshed toolkit to help tailor the campaign to individual councils and their needs. 

Pathways to Planning

Over 60 councils have signed up for the next cohort of Pathways to Planning, accessing a talent pipeline of graduate planners and supporting them to kick-start their career in local government. Each graduate place comes with access to our high-achieving talent pool at no cost to councils, and an educational bursary to fund the graduate’s RTPI-accredited study. Councils who are interested in taking part can find out more information on the programme’s council-facing website or by emailing pathways.planning@local.gov.uk

Webinars and digital events

LGA national new councillors’ welcome event

Thursday 19 June 2025, 5.00pm - 7.00pm

Speakers will include both senior LGA peers and officers who will discuss the LGA support to its members both nationally and regionally. The session will provide information on our Leadership and Sector Led Improvement offers, as well as the LGA’s priorities for the forthcoming year. Leading peers from each of the political groups of the LGA will provide advice, hints, and tips for newly elected councillors. This will be followed by sessions led by the relevant political group for councillors after the main plenary session.

LGA Annual Conference and Exhibition 2025 (in-person event)

Tuesday 1 - Thursday 3 July 2025 | Liverpool

Join us in Liverpool for the biggest event in the local government calendar, where we’ll be discussing the latest issues affecting local government - as well as learning more about the latest big ideas and innovations, including sessions at the Innovation Zone. 

The Innovation Zone offers a vibrant, creative space within the LGA’s Annual Conference, which enables councils and partners to showcase their new ideas and solutions to some of the biggest challenges facing local government. 

This year’s programme will include more than 40 engaging sessions from across the country, showcasing work on key issues of significance for the sector – ranging from social services, and digital technologies, to public health and workforce. 

Presenters will share excellent practice that all delegates can learn from and utilise to create tangible, positive impact in their own councils and communities.

How do you get things done? An introduction to council governance for new councillors

Thursday 10 July 2025, 2.00pm - 3.30pm

This webinar will support attendees to understand how councils are governed and the different roles and responsibilities of councillors and officers. The aim is to help new councillors to contribute to decision-making and scrutiny of decisions in order to deliver good outcomes for local residents.

Virtual Event: Greenhouse gas emissions reporting for local authorities

Thursday 17 July 2025, 10.00am - 11.30am 

This virtual event will provide an overview of the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Accounting Toolkit and the Waste Emissions Calculator and the latest updates to both. Hear from users of both tools, demonstrations, and how this has supported organisational and projects’ emissions reporting.

Finance without numbers – An introduction to local government finance

First session: Monday 29 September 2025, 2.00pm - 3.30pm

Second session: Thursday 9 October 2025, 6.00pm - 7.30pm

This Government funded virtual event will provide an overview of local government finance without any numbers – focusing instead on roles and responsibilities, key terminologies and processes. It will give you an understanding of both what you need to be aware of in your role and what you need to understand about your authority’s role and is aimed at newly elected members or those just looking for a refresh. 

The session will cover:

• a member’s role in finance 
• how finance decisions are made 
• some key financial issues and terminology.

LG Inform and LG Inform Plus

Did you know data is updated in LG Inform within five days of publication, usually on the same day. Metrics recently updated in LG Inform include:

Waste collection statistics - England

The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) waste collection statistics have been published for 2023/24. The LG Inform Understanding waste collection report provides an overview for your area, compared to your chosen comparison group.

For 2023/24, there were 917 tonnes of waste arising per household in England, up from 910 tonnes in 2022/23. The percentage of household waste sent for reuse, recycling and composting for England was 42.30 per cent, compared to 41.70 per cent in 2022/23.

House price and sale statistics

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) House price statistics for small areas collection has updated in LG Inform. The most recent data shows in the 12 months to Quarter 3 2024 the median house price in England was £289,995. This was down from £295,995 in Quarter 3 2023. The median house price (newly built dwellings) in England is currently £350,000. The median house price of detached houses is £420,000, semi-detached houses is £270,000, terraced houses is £235,000 and flats/maisonettes is £230,250.

See the LG Inform report Gap between the lowest and highest median house price sale for your area.    

For the 12 months to Quarter 3 2024, there were 551,992 residential property sales in England, compared to 710,340 for the 12 months to Quarter 3 2023. Of these 25,833 were newly built dwellings, down considerably from 82,186 in the 12 months to Quarter 3 2023.     

See the LG Inform report Areas showing greatest signs of new housing development for your area. 

For information on LG Inform contact us at lginform@local.gov.uk, or to take advantage of the benefits of subscribing to LG Inform Plus contact lginformplus@local.gov.uk.

Yours faithfully, 

Cllr Abi Brown, OBE 

Chair, LGA Improvement and Innovation Board