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.
Childhood growth is an important indicator of a child’s overall health. Higher rates of childhood stunting are associated with greater socioeconomic deprivation and an increased risk of chronic health problems. A public health registrar at Sefton Borough Council has been exploring how better understanding of the causes of childhood stunting could help reduce child health inequalities.
‘Family Matters’ is a multi-agency programme in Stoke-on-Trent that gives families access to the advice, tips and opportunities they need to thrive. It is a key part of the city council’s commitment to early support – working with partners, including the voluntary and community sector, to ensure that children have the best start in life.
In 2019, Blackburn with Darwen had the worst childhood tooth decay rates in England. Following the launch of a childhood oral health strategy in 2021, and through successful collaborative work with a range of partners, the number of five-year-olds with tooth decay has fallen by a significant 16 per cent in six year
Between 2020 and 2023, UCL and the Local Government Association ran an online programme that brought together local authority staff and university researchers to work together on local net zero challenges.
Northumberland County Council is undertaking a pilot project, 'FloodAI', to innovatively enhance flood and coastal resilience. This project is funded by Defra as part of the £200 million Flood and Coastal Innovation Programme
Suffolk’s public health and communities team are using a data-driven approach to review local premises licence applications, focusing their influence on areas with the worst alcohol-related health harms and health inequalities. This work has been welcomed by local partners, including licensing officers and the police, for helping to reduce alcohol-related harm.
St Helens Borough Council, working in collaboration with its partners through an award-winning inequalities commission, is looking at how stigma can exacerbate the inequalities affecting many aspects of people’s lives. Together, they are exploring how stigma can affect people’s access to and experience of a range of services, and how system change can help to combat this.
‘Communities Keeping Well’ is an innovative community partnership in Tower Hamlets using co-production to stimulate community engagement and grow participation, volunteering, networks and cohesion.
Kirklees has a valuable resource in its network of community champions – local residents trained to share important health and wellbeing messages within their communities. The champions use their local knowledge and connections to have conversations which provide information, raise awareness, educate and signpost people to the right support.