Innovation in local government is about improving the lives of the people in our
communities. Browse through our case studies to see the many innovative programmes councils are involved
in.
Richmond and Wandsworth Borough Councils commissioned Loudmouth to incorporate Theatre in Education (TiE) into their approach to the prevention of exploitation of children and young people and raise awareness on harmful sexual behaviours such as sexual harassment and assault. Loudmouth is an innovative TiE company with over 30 years’ experience of collaborating with local authorities to support Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) and safeguarding in schools and other educational venues.
The Air Quality team at the Regulatory Services Partnership, led by Merton Council including Richmond and Wandsworth, is a tri-borough coalition that is on a mission to clean up the air in London.
West Lancashire Borough Council has engaged with groups of high school students to share knowledge about climate change impacts, mitigation, adaptation, democracy, and related careers in local government through an interactive game.
Colchester City Council launched a cost of living campaign in July 2022 to support residents of Colchester who may be facing financial hardship due to rising energy, food and fuel costs. The campaign aimed to showcase and signpost support available across the city from a wide range of partners, not just the council itself.
In June 2024, Runnymede Borough Council implemented a Corporate Debt & Financial Inclusion pilot programme to improve debt collection efficiency and support vulnerable residents. Key milestones included developing a business case, reviewing the Enforcement Agent contract, securing budget approval, and implementing new software.
Shropshire’s focus centred on reframing food insecurity, helping people to maximise their incomes, and bringing communities and organisations together to co-create solutions. These key levers were identified from learning about the issue locally and developing a Theory of Change informed by this understanding.
The Shaping Places Healthier Lives (SPHL) project initially aimed to address local issues such as anti-social behaviour and fear of crime. However, it quickly became apparent that strengthening community cohesion was key to tackling these challenges and improving health and well-being, especially near the town centre where communities were most affected by health inequality.