Transformation roundtable - How to Lead Transformation (morning session): 22 May 2025

Georgia Rudin, Adviser,LGA

Georgia Rudin (GR) hosted the LGA transformation roundtable focused on how to lead transformation. The session highlighted the importance of local government leaders guiding and inspiring transformational change to achieve more with fewer resources and fostering engagement and clear vision across their councils. The presentation from Noel Hatch, Assistant Director- People and Change, Adur District Council, shared Adur & Worthing’s approach to redesigning their organisation ‘from the inside out’. Including supporting staff and how redesign can prepare us for bigger change. 

Noel Hatch, Assistant Director- People and Change, Adur District Council

• Adur and Worthing Councils are undergoing a major organisational redesign to respond to financial pressures, rising community needs, and expectations for greater public involvement. The approach focuses on doing things differently - - by empowering staff and communities to co-create sustainable solutions.
• A staff-developed skills framework and “learning labs” have been introduced to build key capabilities such as adaptability, resilience, participation, and leadership. These labs allow staff to apply new skills to real-world challenges, fostering innovation and collaboration across departments.
• Service redesign is being implemented in phases, integrating digital tools, commercial thinking, and community engagement. This includes initiatives like neighbourhood teams, participatory funding models, and digital platforms that make council services more responsive and accessible.
• The transformation supports the shift toward a future unitary authority, with a strong emphasis on inclusive engagement. Staff, residents, and partners are co-developing neighbourhood charters and community priorities, ensuring that local voices shape both the structure and services of the new authority.
• Further information and slides from the presentation are available on LGA website.

What were the levels of engagement, and are staff feeling more confident in applying transformation to their work? What is the timeline of this work?

The programme began in April of the previous year with a two-month co-design phase, followed by three-month redesign cycles. Staff engagement has been strong, supported through varied methods like briefings, newsletters, and targeted outreach. Multidisciplinary teams and leadership programmes helped staff feel more involved and confident, especially through practical, community-linked projects like the Kitchen Table initiative.

Can you share more about the skills framework you developed? Is it specific to Adur and Worthing or could it be used more widely?

The skills framework was co-developed with staff and focuses on adaptability, resilience, and participation. It includes core and leadership skills, job family-specific competencies, and mapped training levels. It’s embedded into job descriptions and recruitment. NH confirmed it is shareable and potentially useful across the sector.

Are the learning labs well attended and effective?

The Learning labs are well attended, with 40–50 staff regularly involved. These labs are now co-designed by participants, allowing them to shape the focus areas. They foster cross-team collaboration and practical problem-solving, though some areas like commercial skills need more development.

What has been the biggest success and the biggest surprise in the transformation work?

The biggest success has been the community experiments running alongside internal redesigns, such as the Kitchen Table programme. These allowed residents to lead small projects with staff support, helping test new approaches in real time. A surprise was how effective this was in building trust and shaping service redesigns - something they might have made more central from the start if not for funding constraints.

How engaged was the chief executive and corporate management team? Was the change driven top-down?

The chief executive was highly engaged and visible, especially in championing key skill areas. Leadership visibility was seen as crucial for staff buy-in. While top-level support was strong, NH noted that physical presence in staff sessions made a significant difference in building trust and credibility.

Did you get buy-in from the wider CMT, and how did you manage change both upwards and downwards?

Yes, especially where the benefits of service model changes were clear, e.g. the neighbourhood and core services models. These created a snowball effect of support. However, in areas where the redesign outcomes were less tangible, it was harder to gain the same level of buy-in. Clear, visible models helped drive engagement across all levels.

A major theme across the discussions was the challenge of securing leadership buy-in and engaging staff meaningfully at all levels. Participants emphasised that transformation efforts must be done with people, not to them, and that staff engagement is critical - especially when previous change programmes may have left behind scepticism or fatigue. Many councils are still in the early stages of their transformation journeys, and while some see current efforts as a continuation of past work, others are navigating new territory with limited resources and competing demands.

Another key issue was the importance of starting transformation at the service level, equipping teams with the skills to solve their own problems rather than relying on centralised support. Agile working, clear scoping, and strong relationships with digital and IT teams were seen as essential to avoid dependency and ensure progress. Participants also discussed the need to break down silos - both structurally and culturally - and to improve communication across departments to support a more joined-up approach.

Finally, the groups reflected on the importance of clear, tailored communication and governance. Whether dealing with new technologies like AI or longstanding organisational challenges, participants stressed the need for transparency, realistic expectations, and consistent messaging. The role of elected members was also highlighted, with cross-party support seen as a valuable enabler of long-term transformation. Overall, the discussions underscored the need for inclusive, well-supported, and strategically aligned change processes in local government.