Improvement and innovation bulletin

October 2025

Welcome to October's improvement and innovation bulletin. 

Sector support offers

LGA sector support survey 2025

Our wide-ranging sector support programme continues to be shaped through direct engagement with the sector – ensuring that all types of authorities have the support they most need to respond to a wide range of challenges and opportunities. 

Please complete our short survey to let us know how you and your council are engaging with the improvement support we offer, and to help us identify any gaps.

Local government reorganisation and devolution

We are working with organisations across the sector to keep our LGR and Devo Hub up-to-date with resources and information. The FAQs are updated regularly by MHCLG to ensure that councils are receiving consistent information on key areas, while the resources page has a wealth of tools, information and guidance. 

In addition, we are setting up free monthly webinars which you can sign up for online. These are advertised on our LGR and devo webinars page, which also includes recordings, presentations and summaries from past webinars.

Local government reorganisation (LGR) workforce guide

Our Ten essential workforce considerations of LGR guide supports chief executives, heads of HR, and transformation leads to plan and manage the workforce aspects of LGR. It has high-level, accessible prompts and practical resources to help navigate key workforce challenges and support positive change during the transition.

Finance Unpacked

Finance Unpacked is a new series of animated explainer videos to provide 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.

General data protection councillor e-learning module

We have recently refreshed the councillor e learning module on the GDPR/Data Protection Act 2018. This refreshed module is designed to help councillors stay informed, compliant, and confident in their data protection responsibilities. Changes have been made to take account of case studies of enforcement action against local authorities, guidance around the fact that councillors do not need to register with the Information Commissioners Office as data controllers. As well as some insights regarding good data management and cyber security relating to the safe use and storage of data.

Sign up for Impact: Cohort 28

Councils are now able to sign up to Impact and participate in Cohort 28 recruitment for an autumn 2026 intake. Impact is the LGA’s flagship graduate programme and matches high-calibre graduate trainees with local authorities across England and Wales, providing a cost-effective solution to workforce and capacity challenges. In addition to the information on our website, you can get in touch with the team via impact@local.gov.uk.

AMPlify

The LGA partners with SOLACE to deliver AMPlify, aimed at colleagues in local government who are currently under-represented at senior leadership levels. The programme is specifically designed for staff from diverse backgrounds who have the ambition and potential to become future leaders in local government. If you’re interested in taking part in the next cohort, you can apply online today.

Disabled Councillors Leadership programme

Applications are now open for the next cohort of the Disabled Councillors Leadership programme which will run from November 2025 to March 2026. This programme is a unique opportunity to meet other disabled councillors, learn from each other and develop as a cohort of peers. The content has been shaped in co-production with disabled people and councillors, and delegates will attend a mix of residential, in-person and online workshops. Councillors can apply by completing this short online form.

Pathways to Planning: Cohort 4

Since launching in 2023. Pathways to Planning has placed over 200 planners in over 100 councils. From October 2025, this will additionally include Surveying and Construction Project Management. Councils benefit from top graduates through a national campaign and assessment process, with no cost – and graduates study accredited degrees while working. In addition to the information on our website, you can get in touch with the team via pathways.planning@local.gov.uk.

Webinars and events

Pathways to Planning

Pathways to Planning is a graduate recruitment programme which has delivered more than 200 new planners to more than 100 local planning authorities since its launch in 2023. In October 2025, the programme is expanding to help councils fill different roles within the built environment professions, including surveying as well as planning. The Pathways to Planning team will be running two virtual events where you can learn more about the funding and support you could gain for job roles in your council.

Book now: Wednesday 8 October 2025, 11.00am – 12.00pm

Book now: Thursday 6 November 2025, 2.00pm – 3.00pm.

Finance without numbers: An introduction to local government finance

Thursday 9 October 2025, 6.00pm - 7.30pm

This Government funded virtual event for councillors 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 as a councillor and what you need to understand about your authority’s role. The session is aimed at newly elected members or those just looking for a refresh.

Book now: Finance without numbers.

Councillor sustainability masterclass

Wednesday 15 and Thursday 16 October 2025, 9.30am – 3.30pm

Councillors will learn how you can take meaningful action and become carbon literacy accredited, with plenty of opportunities for collaboration, discussion, and support.

Book now: Councillor sustainability masterclass.

Planning and sustainability: Utilising the planning system to shift toward net zero

Thursday 23 October 2025, 10.00am - 11.45am

Local government is at the forefront of net zero, with the planning system serving as a critical lever to shape sustainable communities, decarbonise infrastructure, and guide investment in low-carbon development.

This roundtable will explore how councils can use their planning powers to aid the shift toward net zero, from setting local development planning policies that include climate resilience to enable clean energy projects, sustainable transport, and green infrastructure.

Book now: Planning and sustainability roundtable.

Leadership Essentials Transformation (Session 5 – In person)

Saturday 25 October - Sunday 26 October 2025

As a councillor, you’re likely hearing that ‘transformation programmes’ are the way to make efficiencies and savings but what does that really mean? Our series of Leadership Essentials on Transformation will help demystify transformation, giving councillors the confidence and capability to lead the transformation agenda within their councils. Visit the LGA transformation webpage for more information.

COP30: Spotlight on local government’s role in sustainability

Tuesday 11 November 2025, 10.00am – 11.30am

As the world turns its attention to the 2025 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belém, Brazil, the LGA is hosting this virtual event to shine a spotlight on local government’s role in driving forward sustainability and net zero.

With over 30 interconnected themes being discussed at COP30, the panel at this event will discuss various aspects of the work they are leading to deliver against net zero targets and the overarching agenda. The officers will share insights into how their local authorities are delivering adaptation and resilience projects, energy support schemes, green finance initiatives, transport, biodiversity and cross cutting net zero solutions.

Book now: COP30: Spotlight on local government’s role in sustainability.

Building effective member and officer relationships

Tuesday 18 November 2025, 2.00pm – 3.30pm

This virtual masterclass for elected members and senior officers will explore new LGA guidance designed to support effective member/officer working relationships. Informed by good practice, the event will focus on the development, use and embedding of protocols as a catalyst for improvement.

Book now: Building effective member and officer relationships.

Safe and sound: A masterclass in the principles of effective decision-making

Wednesday 19 November 2025, 2.00pm – 3.30pm

This virtual masterclass for elected members will explore how to make confident, clear and accountable decisions which help to deliver members’ priorities for local communities. With insights from an experienced member and practical tools, the session will help you consider all the relevant implications, ask the right questions and involve the right people in your council’s decision making to get the best results.

Book now: Safe and sound: A masterclass in the principles of effective decision-making.

Better mental health with residents: Using council powers and influence to create mentally healthier communities

Monday 1 December 2025, 2.00pm – 3.30pm

Following our first webinar ’Better mental health for councillors: Looking after your own wellbeing as an elected member in stressful times’, this webinar explores mental health with residents by using council powers and influence to create mentally healthier communities. This will examine how councillors can use their powers, skills, and influence to improve both their own wellbeing and mental health as well as those of their communities and residents. It will look at some of the social determinants of mental health (poverty, discrimination etc) and how to use your powers as a councillor to address these for your residents.

Book now: Better mental health with residents.

Councillor development events – 'Focus on Leadership' series

Spaces are still available on our popular Focus on Leadership events like Effective Opposition; Young Councillors Weekender; Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Councillors Weekender and LGBTQ+ Councillors Weekender – visit the LGA website for further details.

Additionally, you might be interested in...

LGA Innovation Zone – LGA Annual Conference

The Innovation Zone at the LGA Annual Conference and Exhibition 2025 in Liverpool was bigger than ever, showcasing a range of local authorities innovative solutions to the sector’s challenges. The dynamic programme included a range of topical sessions, including artificial intelligence, and experiences of transformation and change in the face of LGR. Presentations from the innovation zone can now be found on the LGA website.

Social Housing Peer Challenge - Supporting housing service improvement

The LGA has launched Social Housing Peer Challenge (SHPC) - a new sector-led improvement tool for stock-holding councils. This supportive three-day peer review helps councils improve landlord services through constructive feedback from experienced professionals.

Unlike regulatory inspections, SHPC doesn't give scores. Instead, it covers leadership, governance, financial planning and service delivery, helping councils prepare for inspection or sustain good performance.

Stock-holding councils can express an interest in hosting a peer challenge, while experienced housing professionals can join the reviewer pool.

Equal pay resources

We’ve brought all of our resources on equal pay together in one easy-to-access section of our website to help you manage fair, transparent, and compliant pay policies and practices.

Pay structure reform in Fire and Rescue Services

The NJC for Local Authority Fire and Rescue Services continues to discuss pay structure reform for Grey Book employees. To aid understanding of this topic we have created a guide on the LGA website. Information and consultation sessions for senior leaders/fire authority chairs will be launched this autumn.

LG Inform and LG Inform Plus...

Local Government Outcomes Framework consultation response

The Government recently launched the Local Government Outcomes Framework (LGOF), in a move towards an outcome-focused model of accountability for councils in England. Government invited feedback from local authorities on the LGOF approach, and the outcome and output metrics contained within it. The Local Government Association’s response on behalf of the sector is now available on our website.

We have produced a LG Inform report which includes all of the framework’s metrics which are available and highlights where they are not currently published. To access the report, please register or log in if you already have an account.

New LG Inform report: Government five missions

Alongside the published Plan for Change the five missions of the government’s manifesto remain important benchmarks within, outside and for observers of government. A year into this government with new published data we have created a new LG Inform report to provide a comparison of how your local authority is performing on the metrics that underpin the five missions and how your authority is doing compared to your peer authority group.

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 Jane Scullion

Chair of the LGA Improvement Committee