Vitality through locality: lessons from Lewisham and Suffolk

Vitality through locality: lessons from Lewisham and Suffolk
Publication Date: April 25th, 2004
ISBN: 1 903447 36 4
Authored by: Anna Randle and Natalie Arend with Kamal Panchal
Hardcopy Price: ££20

A number of policy directions being discussed at present point to concepts like local and neighbourhood governance playing a key role in service delivery and community leadership in the future. But many local authorities are already thinking about their domain as a series of localities and trying to think about how to incorporate such thoughts in the way they operate. This concept of ‘Locality Working’ offers an opportunity for local authorities to revitalise their role and to enable innovation in reconnecting citizens and institutions. It is, though, a difficult notion to define to some it represents a strategic approach to structure and budgeting, whilst to others it is more a philosophy informing a council’s way of thinking.



Based on the continuing work of NLGN’s Innovation Network, this report seeks to explore the notion of Locality Working through its application in two local authorities-the London Borough of Lewisham and Suffolk County Council. With differing approaches to suit their respective challenges, these studies offer valuable lessons on the effectiveness and versatility of Locality Working.



The two case studies were explored through ‘Knowledge Exchange’ visits to both loacl authorities – intensive 24 hour programmes where a small group of peers work together to explore an area of particular innovation, meeting with staff, managers, politicians and customers and visiting service delivery sites. This report brings a practical edge to the important debate about New Localism and so will be useful to policy thinkers and practitioners a like.


Vitality through locality.pdf
(PDF: Foreword & Summary version)


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