Case studies

West Sussex County Council has invested in a ‘communities’ function that cuts across all service areas in order to engage more fully with its communities.

During COVID-19, misinformation circulated among communities and there was some distrust of the council. Communities reported feeling disengaged from official sources. Through Community Champions - trusted voices from the community - Staffordshire County Council has built trust and capability within communities and used existing community networks to relay important health information.

Torbay Council needed to construct new sea defences at two beaches. The original design was met with substantial public opposition, demonstrating significant community ‘buy-in’ to the appearance of the seafront. The council decided to pause the project and commission new designs, created using co-design and consultation principles.

Kirklees Council took a practical approach to dealing with abuse and intimidation of candidates and councillors focusing on engaging more with the police on these issues.

With Rina Singh, Deputy Chief Executive, South Somerset District Council.

Hounslow Council have set up a cross-organisational working group with expert representatives to help identify emerging issues and gaps in support and develop solutions that will help to prevent and deal with these issues when they arise.

The living independently in later years (LILY) programme began in 2012 with the intention of helping older people access the right level of community-based support at the right times in their lives, to help them avoid triggering an event that will move them into high cost services.

In 2011 Coventry City Council worked with users of special educational needs transport to manage demand, this was one of the earliest and well-known local government examples.

Snitterfield Parish Council wanted to transform their local playing fields, but with plans costing around £100,000, the project stalled and the community became disengaged. Using seed funding from a county councillor, and working with design experts, the council held an engagement day, inviting residents to come and design the park.

Devon, Plymouth and Torbay is developing a Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Assembly to support the sector and the wider strategic system.