Case studies

Poverty prevention and alleviation is a priority for East Devon District Council. The council set up a working panel in 2020 to lead the creation of a poverty strategy and action plan, and then to monitor progress against it. The strategy has five objectives – including to help people on low incomes build financial resilience and reduce indebtedness.

London Borough of Lambeth has gone through a process of transformation to become a cooperative council, based on giving people more involvement in and control of the services they use and where they live.

South Somerset District Council has a history of successful community engagement and has achieved national recognition through the Beacon Scheme.

Bradford District Council has been leading a programme to improve community cohesion and engagement and reduce inequalities. More than 70 individual projects have been launched and 25,000 people engaged in the process.

Birmingham City Council’s public health team wanted a new way to engage with the different faith communities in their area. Recognising the innately personal nature of faith and health, the council developed a series of community profiles which reflected the individual faiths and their practices.

Traditional forms of consultation were not proving effective at reaching the diverse communities of Walworth, an area of Southwark undergoing rapid change. Working with a range of stakeholders, Southwark Council set out to have place-based conversations with as wide a range of local residents as possible.

West Berkshire’s engagement officer noticed that the pandemic period saw a wider demographic of people responding to council consultations, communications and initiatives than previously, including increased engagement from children and young people. There was a desire to harness and build on this increased engagement, so a range of initiatives were launched to educate residents on the council’s role and responsibilities.

This case study explores the facilitation of the relocation of tenants affected by Large Panel System building safety concerns at a social housing estate which comprised of a tower block with over 120 homes.

West Suffolk's approach to supporting families and communities puts residents and elected councillors at the heart of making positive change. The approach identifies connectors - well connected, active local people – who can contribute to local solutions for the community.

Stroud District Council has fundamentally shifted its approach to community engagement. Having learned during COVID-19 that some communities were stepping into frontline service delivery without the necessary skills; the council focused on building capability within communities.