About the work
The Wales Centre for Public Policy commissioned newydd|new to explore the evidence around local government transformation and develop proposals to support the Independent Working Group on Sustainable Local Government for the Future.
The work considered how councils could respond to immediate pressures while creating space for longer-term change, with local democracy and the needs of people and communities at its heart.
The approach
We reviewed evidence from Wales, the wider UK and international practice, looking at what could help local government develop, test and adopt different ways of working.
As the work developed, we moved from reviewing the evidence to putting forward ideas that people could explore and challenge. These focused on a shared vision for sustainable local government, the capacity needed for innovation and how to manage the transition from current ways of working.
We tested these starting points through semi-structured interviews and a workshop with senior local government leaders. The Three Horizons model helped frame conversations about maintaining services today while developing and testing approaches for the future.
What the work produced
The project produced two complementary reports: an evidence paper setting out an initial model for change, and a workshop report bringing together stakeholder feedback and refined recommendations.
The recommendations proposed testing a shared innovation service, developing a shared vision grounded in sustainability principles, and using Three Horizons to connect that vision with practical activity. They also identified opportunities to strengthen the funding, skills and conditions needed for collaborative innovation.
Together, the reports provided an evidence-informed starting point for further discussion and the design of a transformation programme for local government in Wales.
Impact
Our research helped inform the independent working group’s final report, Local government fit for the future, published in September 2026. Both papers are referenced as commissioned evidence, contributing to the case for a shared vision, stronger innovation capacity and a collaborative approach to long-term change.
The final report and the group’s wider work were endorsed by the Welsh Local Government Association’s Executive Board, providing a basis for further discussions about how the sector can take this work forward.