Local Government Association

At a time when budgets are shrinking and trust in many institutions falling, a serious effort to involve and understand residents is more important than ever.

Engagement is now central to how councils operate. Gone are the days of press release blasts and tick-box consultations.

"At all times the team carried out their duties in an approachable and supportive manner, often offering helpful suggestions and advice."

When compiling the first New Conversations guide, we ran pilots in Hackney, Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), Staffordshire and Harlow to test new techniques.

Meet the contestants for the 2019 Local Government Challenge!

Reading materials apply throughout New Conversations 2.0, providing definitions and explanations that support the guide.

The resources in this New Conversations section support the basic, statutory aspects of engagement, with a particular focus on pure consultation.

The local government green paper received more than 540 submissions and the responses made it clear beyond doubt: doing nothing is no longer an option.