Innovation in local government is about improving the lives of the people in our
communities. Browse through our case studies to see the many innovative programmes councils are involved
in.
Lambeth Council applied to the National Institute for Health and Care Research for an independent evaluation of Lambeth Made Safer, its ten-year public health and anti-racist strategy to reduce serious youth violence.
The Old Kent Road Family Zone (OKRFZ) is a groundbreaking community-led initiative transforming how local government addresses health inequalities in one of London's most under resourced areas. Facilitated by Surrey Square Primary School (part of the Big Education Trust) and funded by Impact on Urban Health, the zone operates on a radical principle: working 'with' communities rather than 'for' or 'to' them. By placing children, families and residents at the heart of decision-making, OKRFZ is creating sustainable, systemic change that tackles the root causes of poor health and wellbeing.
The ‘OK to Ask?’ campaign, delivered for Surrey Police and the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, tackled youth-produced sexual imagery (YPSI) among 13–17-year-olds.
Bristol City Council is keen for there to be ‘no wrong front door’ for families seeking to access support and provision. To increase accessibility to Family Hubs and the breadth of support available, their Family Hub Programme has sought to partner with the local VCFSE sector, who are already supporting families in the city through sustainable, trusted relationships and grassroots projects.
The Coventry Parent Voice Network was established to amplify parent and carer involvement in shaping local services, driven by Family Hub and Start for Life National Framework to create Parent Carer Panels.
Since 2021, Hounslow’s Community Development Team has pioneered a place-based approach to community engagement, partnership working, and local democracy. By embedding officers in neighbourhoods, facilitating networks of voluntary and community groups, and transforming traditional council forums into collaborative spaces, the team has built the infrastructure for genuine civic participation and collective action.
In response to Section 507B of the Education Act 1996, Barking and Dagenham developed a dynamic, co-owned Youth Offer shaped by young people and VCFS partners.
New Town Culture is a curatorial project within the Culture and Heritage Service that integrates arts and culture into Children’s and Adults Social Care.
Queen’s Park Family Hub is one of three family hubs in the City of Westminster. Each hub has different leadership arrangements, which reflect the communities they each serve whilst the underpinning governance arrangements are the same. The integration of services at place are seen as vital in all of the hubs and this is strengthened by a local integrated leadership team around each hub.