LGR communications and engagement support

We offer targeted communications and engagement support to councils going through Local Government Reorganisation (LGR), building on our core communications improvement offer. If you are interested in any of the following support, please email [email protected]

We convene a regular (ad hoc) LGR communications network, bringing together communications leaders from across the sector.

The network includes:

• speakers sharing practical experience of LGR
• Q&A sessions with councils currently going through the process
• opportunities to share learning, network with colleagues and best practice

Sessions typically attract around 90 attendees, with a wider Microsoft Teams community of 130+ members.

To join the network, please contact [email protected].

Alongside our one-day and three-day communications reviews, we provide LGR-specific health checks to help councils manage the scale and complexity of reorganisation.

For LGR, we offer two types of peer challenges:

External communications and engagement health check

Focuses on whether councils have the right:

• strategies and plans
• structures and capacity
• processes and governance
• messaging and narrative

Staff engagement health check

Focuses on how effectively councils are engaging their workforce throughout LGR, including:

• internal communications planning
• staff engagement approaches
• clarity and consistency of messaging

How the health checks work

Our approach is flexible and tailored to each authority’s unique circumstances by working with them on the scope . Over the course of one day we would speak to a range of stakeholders including:

• chief executive
• senior officers
• elected members
• communications teams
• LGR programme/workstream leads
• staff groups and frontline staff (for internal reviews)
• trade unions (for internal reviews)

This is just a brief example list. As covered above, the review and therefore who the LGA interviews would be agreed with the authority.

Each review is led by an LGA peer challenge manager and includes at least one officer peer with LGR experience. A member peer can also be included if helpful.

Following the health check, the LGA will provide:

• a feedback session and/or
• a short written report

This will include key findings, practical recommendations and immediate next steps. Councils can decide how and whether to share the outputs more widely.

We can also provide tailored support to meet the specific challenges of LGR. This includes workshops and advice on areas such as:

• public affairs
• organisational and place narrative
• communications or corporate strategy development
• mentoring and coaching

Our peers can act as critical friends, helping to test plans, strengthen messaging and ensure communications are landing effectively with key audiences at each stage of the process.

We also support councils to develop clear, compelling narratives for residents, staff and stakeholders, and to shape communications approaches for new unitary and strategic authorities.

We offer a range of training delivered with experienced peers and associates. Popular sessions include:

• communicating in a political environment
• social media training (for officers and councillors)

Training can be combined with wider bespoke support where needed.