Case studies

The team has identified Teams as the suitable portal to deliver online official council meetings. Its versatility allows Cllrs to join meetings either through video or dial in options in a secure setting.

Cyber security managers in local authorities have their hands full trying to ensure their organisation doesn’t become yet another headline-grabbing example of a damaging cyber-attack. It’s an uphill battle and judging from the rapidly growing number of victims, it’s a battle many are not winning. The London Borough of Bexley provides an insight into the cyber security gaps which led them to seek a major change of strategy, and how the team overcame these challenges and significantly raised its level of cyber security.

Portsmouth City Council tackles our role in addressing the air quality priorities head on. Through the provision of innovative and accessible charging infrastructure, residents are encouraged to shift towards owning electric vehicles, leading to a reduction in conventional petrol and diesel vehicles and resulting in a reduction in air pollution within the city.

Screening has a significant role to play in delivering earlier diagnosis of most common cancers. We applied to be part of the LGA Behavioural Insights programme to work alongside national experts and develop an innovation to increase cancer-screening rates in targeted communities.

A mixed method approach was adopted and a pragmatic behavioural insights framework was employed to inform the redesign of the service offer with the aim of making treatment uptake easy, attractive, timely and social (EAST). We explored factors affecting treatment uptake through a behavioural insights survey (Phase 1) collected between September 2018 and January 2019, and qualitative interviews (Phase 2) with HART service users conducted between October 2018 and May 2019. Recommendations were implemented between September and December 2019. We used routinely collected data to compare service uptake rates pre and post service redesign.

Audience analysis has helped Westminster Council to raise £900,000 for vulnerable residents through the Community Contribution campaign.

Redevelopment of Hatfield town centre to deliver a more purposeful retail, leisure and community service provision including a mixed-use development scheme on council-owned land.

The South Tees Multi-Agency Children’s Hub (MACH) working to deliver Early Help and Safeguarding, through collaboration of public sector partners.

To raise awareness about child poverty, Cheltenham Borough Council coordinated a year of action together with local charities and businesses.

Outside Edge Theatre Company (OETC) offers free drama activities to help people affected by addiction live healthier lives. They have partnered for over 20 years with local authority commissioners in West and North West London to co-produce evidence-based, peer-support activities that improve wellbeing to prevent relapse. This case study forms part of the Value of culture - community engagement section of our online Culture Hub.