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.
In 2023, Archives: Wigan & Leigh initiated a series of Reminiscence Workshops in local care homes. Thirteen one-hour long sessions have been run across four care homes to date, with between ten and fifteen participants attending each session.
Buckinghamshire Archives worked with the National Paralympic Heritage Trust (NPHT) to make their internationally important archival collections relating to disability sports more accessible.
Northumberland Archives applied to the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) for a project to make manorial records more accessible to all and to help people use them both creatively and for research.
Tasked with finding new ways to maximise the reuse of waste, Telford and Wrekin Council’s Waste team worked alongside our recycling and waste management partner, Veolia to devise a simple but ingenious circular use solution.
In order to support more young women and girls from low-income communities to be more active, StreetGames supported five groups of young people to undertake peer research with other young people in their communities and to use their findings to develop a ‘Dragon’s Den’ style pitch which secured social action funding from the South East & Mid Wales Collaborative Construction Framework (SEWSCAP - now rebranded as ARDAL).
People from lower socio-economic groups face numerous challenges in accessing sports, including tennis. LTA SERVES brings tennis to underserved communities, targeting children aged 4-18. The programme provides training and free equipment to locally trusted organisations and leaders who know their communities best, to deliver engaging activity to young people. LTA SERVES promotes participation, inclusion, and community cohesion, delivering significant benefits in well-being, physical health, and sense of community among both participants and Activators.
The council has a significant need on its Housing Register for one-bedroom units. Elizabeth Road delivered four one-bedroom units, two of which are fully adapted in Stamford which is a challenging area for the council to increase its housing stock due to the high cost of both properties and land.
To address low breast cancer screening rates in Dudley and Netherton, a mobile screening unit was relocated to a central location, and a targeted awareness campaign was co-produced with local women.
Supported by Calderdale’s ‘Short Breaks for Disabled Children’ initiative, a varied programme of sport and leisure activities enables SEND children, young people and adults to access and participate in a wide range of sport and leisure activities.