The LGA has published a new handbook to help councils and partners work together more effectively to make better use of public resources.
The Local Government Association (LGA) has published a new handbook to help councils and partners work together more effectively to make better use of public resources, create a shared vision for the future and improve residents’ lives.
Launched at the LGA’s Annual Conference in Bournemouth, the Total Place Handbook provides practical guidance on how local areas can take a more joined-up, place-based approach to public services at a time of rising demand, stretched budgets and increasing expectations.
Developed with Total Place Associates and including contributions from more than 120 cross-sector leaders , the handbook sets out how councils, the NHS, police, businesses and the voluntary sector can align their efforts around the needs of local communities, rather than working in isolation.
It highlights that looking collectively at public spending within a place - rather than by individual organisations - can lead to better decisions, improved outcomes and reduced long-term costs.
This approach places residents at the centre of decision-making, with a stronger focus on prevention and addressing root causes of demand.
The launch also comes as the Government has indicated a broader policy approach in favour of Total Place, including at last year’s LGA Annual Conference and the announcement of five place-based budget pilots in the most recent Autumn Budget. In response, the LGA has published this handbook, setting out a new practical blueprint for all places.
Local authorities are also undergoing significant reorganisation as part of a wider shift of how public services are organised and delivered, with this handbook providing helpful guidance on how Total Place can maximise the benefits of these reforms, including in strategic authorities.
The handbook and accompanying guidance includes a range of real-world and illustrative examples, such as supporting people with complex needs. Local partners can work together to support individuals who are in frequent contact with multiple services, such as those with mental health challenges, homelessness or substance misuse issues.
For example, councils, the NHS and voluntary organisations can create joint neighbourhood teams to provide coordinated, personalised support, reducing crisis interventions and repeat service use.
A place-based approach can also bring together health, social care, and community support to prevent issues escalating, such as falls prevention for older people. Co-ordinated investment in home adaptations, community exercise and early support can reduce ambulance call-outs, hospital stays and long-term care costs.
Specific groups such as young people not in education, employment or training, or those at risk of offending can also be supported by councils and partners. By combining resources from education, employment services, policing and local businesses, areas can provide targeted support, create job pathways and reduce long-term demand on public services.
The guide includes case studies where these approaches have been tried and tested, including on regeneration and economic development, neighbourhood-based service delivery and on community-led solutions.
- In Jaywick Sands, collaboration between councils, residents and partners led to new community facilities, improved infrastructure and job creation, delivering significant social and economic benefits.
- In Brent, neighbourhood teams bring together staff from councils, the NHS and the voluntary sector to work directly within communities, helping to identify issues earlier and provide joined-up support closer to where people live.
- In Cardiff’s Ely and Caerau communities, large-scale engagement with local people led to a co-produced plan focused on priorities such as youth services, community safety and employment, backed by significant long-term investment.
The handbook provides a clear step-by-step framework for applying Total Place, including how to:
- Build shared understanding across organisations
- Map local spending and outcomes
- Engage communities meaningfully
- Co-design new approaches to service delivery
- Test and implement change
- Capture and scale learning across places
It emphasises that there is no single model, and that local areas should tailor approaches to their own circumstances and priorities.
The guidance reinforces strong evidence for prevention, highlighting that early intervention can deliver significant savings and better outcomes, with some interventions in health and social care returning around £3 for every £1 invested.
However, it also recognises the barriers to change, including fragmented funding, organisational silos and cultural challenges, and sets out how leadership and collaboration can help overcome them.
The handbook also supports wider government ambitions around integration, prevention and devolution, alongside new place-based budgeting and community power pilots. It highlights the central role of councils as convenors and leaders of local systems, bringing together partners and communities to address complex challenges.
Cllr Richard Clewer, Chair of the LGA’s Public Service Reform and Innovation Committee, said:
“Residents want services which are joined-up, responsive and centred around their lives, not organisational boundaries.
“This handbook shows how councils and their partners can turn that ambition into practical action – whether that’s supporting vulnerable people earlier, working at neighbourhood level, or bringing communities into decision-making.
“Total Place is not about imposing a single model, but about enabling local areas to build on what works and do things better together.
“By aligning our efforts and resources around what matters most to people, we can improve outcomes for residents, reduce long-term pressures and build stronger, more resilient places.”
Notes to editors
The Total Place Handbook was developed by the LGA with Total Place Associates, drawing on learning from previous place-based initiatives and recent pilots across the UK. It is intended for councils, government departments and organisations across the public, private and voluntary sectors.
The handbook will be launched at a session of the LGA Annual Conference in Bournemouth, on Tuesday 7 July, ‘Total Place in practice: From neighbourhoods to national reform’, 4.15-5.00pm, Tregonwell Hall Seminar Suites.
Bringing together local, regional and national perspectives, the panel will explore what Total Place looks like in practice, the leadership and cultural shifts required to sustain it, and how place-based approaches can move from local innovation to wider system change.