Discover why creating a City of Culture is more than a year of events, it’s a long-term strategy for economic growth, social cohesion, and public health. Learn critical success factors, how to balance ambition with sustainability, and why inclusivity matters. Explore lessons from Europe, evidence-based planning, and the role of arts in improving well-being. Culture isn’t a luxury, it’s a catalyst for transformation.

Discover why horizon scanning is essential for UK local authorities. Learn what it is, explore methods like the Three Horizons Framework, PESTLE and SWOT analysis, and understand how councils can anticipate future trends, risks, and opportunities. Includes practical steps, common pitfalls, real-world examples, and a checklist to embed foresight into governance for proactive, future-ready leadership.

Discover why evaluation is critical in local government organisational design. Learn how councils can measure success, align changes with strategic goals, and avoid common pitfalls. Explore practical steps for embedding evaluation into transformation projects, ensuring value for money, better services, and continuous improvement. A must-read for leaders driving council-wide change.

Discover the RPNA 12P Assessment, a rapid, data-driven framework for building strong digital foundations in local government. Designed for Chief Executives and Transformation Directors, it evaluates 12 critical elements from strategy alignment to user experience, enabling smarter decisions, efficiency gains, and sustainable transformation. Contact Ashley Roper to learn how RPNA 12P can unlock value and reduce risk.

Testing organisational structures before sign-off is essential for councils. Skipping this step risks costly rework and confusion. Use multiple methods, design criteria checks, realistic scenarios, operational walk-throughs, and Goold & Campbell’s nine tests, to ensure alignment and flexibility. Testing saves time, money, and credibility by preventing structural failure and guarantees your design works in practice, not just theory.

Optimise local government culture with Barrett Values Centre tools. Truth About Local Government helps councils measure culture, identify leadership gaps, and embed values into recruitment and systems. Our 12-month programme builds engagement, retention, and performance, with annual diagnostics for sustainable change. Transform culture into a strategic advantage and deliver better outcomes for staff and residents.

Business rates reform will reshape local government finance from April 2026. Councils must act now: model the 2026 revaluation impact, review Autumn Budget relief measures, engage with MHCLG’s reset methodology, strengthen NNDR forecasting and appeals contingency, and communicate multiplier changes to businesses. These steps will help manage risk, seize growth opportunities, and ensure stability during the most significant reset in over a decade.

Discover how AI is transforming UK local government services, from contact centre automation to predictive maintenance. Learn where AI delivers measurable impact, where investment makes sense, and the governance essentials councils need to avoid risk. Explore real case studies, £8bn savings potential, and a leadership checklist to ensure transparency, security, and resident trust in every AI decision.

The Myth of the Business Model in Local Government The phrase “We need to run this council like a business” is one of the most persistent myths in local government. It’s easy to see why it appeals: councils manage budgets worth hundreds of millions, employ thousands of staff, and deliver services to a population that rivals the customer base of major corporations. Surely adopting a business mindset would make them leaner, more efficient, and more innovative? The truth is mor

Public service reform demands whole-system thinking, not siloed fixes. Local government, NHS, charities, and housing providers overlap, yet reforms often ignore these interdependencies. True transformation requires shared outcomes, integrated governance, data-driven collaboration, and cultural change while maintaining frontline delivery mid-flight. Are leaders ready to embrace complexity and design connected systems for better communities?

Rachel Reeves’ 2025 Budget delivers £26bn in tax rises, freezes income tax thresholds until 2031, and introduces levies like the mansion tax and EV mileage charge. While billed as “fair,” it squeezes households, adds complexity for councils, and delays SEND relief. Local government faces rising demand, fragile funding, and political risk. Explore what this means for officers and members and the sector-led actions needed now.

Discover why systems thinking is essential for local government leaders tackling complex challenges like housing, health, and climate change. Learn key traits of systems thinkers, practical steps to embed this approach, team structures that support collaboration, and the best resources for self-development. Build a culture that sees the bigger picture and delivers sustainable, long-term solutions.

Discover why whole-systems thinking is essential for local government team design. Explore six practical questions that help councils break silos, build adaptive structures, and deliver joined-up outcomes. Learn from UK examples, integrated care partnerships, and prevention strategies that work. Are we using reorganisation and devolution to truly optimise collaboration across the public sector for better community outcomes?

Employee engagement surveys alone don’t change culture. UK councils face unique challenges, financial pressures, policy shifts, and collaboration demands, that require more than sentiment checks. Discover why values assessments uncover the real drivers of behaviour, reduce resistance to change, and build trust. Learn practical steps for HR leaders to embed values, monitor cultural health, and transform local government workplaces.

Discover how local councils can unlock innovation by embracing hidden neurodiversity. Drawing on insights from Dr Devon Price’s Unmasking Autism, this blog explores the impact of masking, why authenticity matters, and practical steps for inclusive recruitment, flexible working, and leadership training. Learn why unmasking isn’t charity, it’s strategy for resilient, creative public services.

Barrett Culture Score: A Powerful Metric for Cultural Health. Move beyond Gross Margin, NPS, and Market Share, now leaders can measure culture with the Barrett Culture Score. This comprehensive metric combines key cultural drivers to reveal organisational health, track evolution, and benchmark across industries. It’s actionable, insightful, and a proxy for strong leadership, engaged employees, satisfied customers, and community care.

Default cultures emerge unconsciously from past leadership, lacking intentional values management. In contrast, a values-driven culture is consciously shaped by leaders who align systems, policies, and incentives with desired values. By actively managing cultural capital and removing outdated influences through structural realignment, organizations create a thriving, purpose-led environment that reflects their vision.

The Barrett Model is a globally recognised framework for unlocking human potential and transforming organisational culture. Used by thousands of organisations across 94 countries, Barrett Analytics helps leaders build healthy cultures that drive performance and stakeholder success. At its core, the model addresses fundamental human needs and creates environments where people and organisations thrive.

To build a high-performing, values-driven organisation with strong Cultural Health, engagement and low Cultural Entropy, you need an ongoing cultural transformation process, not a one-off project. Using Barrett Values Centre’s Cultural and Leadership Values Assessments annually helps monitor alignment, mission focus and employee needs, driving engagement and sustainable success.

Explore how cultural capital impacts financial performance. This paper reviews research showing that while cultural capital isn’t directly measurable, proxies such as cultural alignment and Cultural Entropy® reveal a strong link to sustained revenue growth. Is your organisation’s culture driving business success? If not, discover why it should be central to your performance strategy.