A learning network for local government dedicated to partnership-working and community-led, place-based regeneration
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Sharing the latest research
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Fostering innovative best and next practice
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Supporting peer-learning and collaboration
The new national network for neighbourhood improvement is being incubated by Local Trust during 2024, supported by New Local.
It builds on the learnings from local government pioneers, evidence from past regeneration programmes, and the recent experience of the Big Local programme: a first-of-its-kind initiative that puts power, resources and decision- making into the hands of local communities to enable them to transform and improve their lives and areas.
It is aimed at those officers working in local government in areas such as regeneration; community or economic development; neighbourhood management; health and wellbeing; policy, research and strategy; or in area-based service delivery.
The network is free to join.
The network welcomes full membership by local government officers working to create stronger, more cohesive and resilient communities, deliver neighbourhood improvement, renewal and regeneration, support local economic development, and improve health and wellbeing outcomes.
We also welcome associate memberships from individuals and organisations with an interest in the neighbourhood improvement agenda.
Our advisory group is made up of local and combined authority senior and Chief Executives who are leading innovative approaches to neighbourhood improvement in their respective areas.
Join using the form below.
At a time of increased demand on local government services and pressure on budgets, Local Trust is committed to working with partners to support individual local and combined authorities to develop new approaches to regenerating the most disadvantaged communities and improving outcomes for local residents in line with local government priorities.
The network will aim to create and add value for local government members by sharing the outputs of this innovation and learning about what works to improve local neighbourhoods and outcomes for residents.
- Members are invited to quarterly sessions with peers, experts and practitioners to discuss issues at the forefront of community-led neighbourhood improvement.
- The network runs funded study trips to encourage knowledge and innovation-sharing.
- To support our calendar of events, the network will produce and publish session summaries and supporting research.
The evidence base
The network builds on the evidence base cultivated by Local Trust and partners, on the role of social infrastructure investment in improving life outcomes, the transformative value of community-led neighbourhood renewal and learnings on best practice partnership-working between local government and communities.
Coming up in 2024
Study trip
- The network will be running its first study trip for local government officers in autumn 2024.
Network events
- The network will be hosting an online event and an in person workshop in London later in 2024.
Past events
Local government workshop on ‘Neighbourhood-level approaches to identifying community strengths and addressing needs’.
The network’s first workshop surveyed the evidence on the role of social infrastructure investment in building community capacity, resilience and improving life outcomes in the most disadvantaged neighbourhoods.
The session included presentations from:
- Alison Mckenzie-Folan, Chief Executive of Wigan Council, on community capacity and resilience-building
- Rebecca Gipp, Head of Levelling Up Coordination at Essex County Council, on Essex’s Levelling Up Strategy
- Stefan Noble, Director at OCSI, on identifying community strengths and needs using the Community Needs Index 2024