This report from UK think tank PolicyWISE looks at how the new Council of the Nations and Regions can improve relationships and working practices between the UK government and devolved powers. In this report, PolicyWISE and the Bennett Institute for Public Policy identify ways that the Council of the Nations and Regions, set up in...

This report from UK think tank the Institute for Government makes the case for this government to launch a revitalised 'Total Place 2.0'. There is currently a gulf between the way that the government funds and delivers public services and the way that citizens use them. The government typically allocates money through departments, which fund...

This report from UK think tank New Local looks at how we can celebrate, sustain and reimagine community centres. Community centres are a core and enduring part of the UK’s social infrastructure. They are hubs of social connection, stewards of health and wellbeing, vital partners in their local ecosystems and important physical assets that communities...

This report from UK think tank PBE looks at local authority spending on early intervention children’s services 2010-11 to 2023-24. Early intervention services play an important role in delivering positive outcomes for babies, children, young people and their families. Mainly funded and provided by councils in England, they cover a range of age and needs-based...

This report from UK think tank the Social Market Foundation examines the state of young people’s mental health in England. This briefing looks at case studies from the young people's charity #BeeWell in schools in Greater Manchester and Hampshire, showing further the importance of prioritising the wellbeing of students in our education system. Adolescent wellbeing...

This report from UK think tank Re:State sets out policy ideas for a new kind of hyperlocal governance: a universal, capable, and empowered tier of Neighbourhood Councils. A wave of local government reorganisation and regional devolution is sweeping across England, fundamentally changing the face of the local State. And as this happens, the gap at...

This report from UK think tank RUSI profiles the direct engagement of UK local authorities with Chinese diplomats and local governments. There is substantial value to establishing a UK-wide framework that enables more effective local authority engagement with China. This paper profiles the direct engagement of UK local authorities with Chinese diplomats and local governments....

This report from UK think tank Localis looks at how the Local Power Plan can build on best practice and overcome local barriers to drive energy decarbonisation. Elected on a platform with strong emphasis on energy security and decarbonisation, the UK Government has set a goal of ‘clean power’ by 2030 and established Great British...

This report from UK think tank Re:State identifies examples of best practice from across the UK that should inform the government’s approach. The Government have been clear on the need to shift care decisively out of hospitals and into communities, facilitated by the creation of a new NHS – what they call a Neighbourhood Health...

This report from UK think tank the Fabian Society makes the case that improving our bus network is crucial to fulfilling Labour’s growth mission. Buses are the backbone of public transport in the UK. For every journey by train, more than 2.5 are taken by bus. Yet despite their importance, buses have too often been...

This report from UK think tank City-REDI examines how funding mechanisms can be used to better address spatial inequalities. The aim of this review is to draw out lessons for England, and the UK more broadly, in terms of how funding mechanisms can be used to better address spatial inequalities. The review is based on...

This report from UK think tank the Future Governance Forum explores what an effective local digital ecosystem – bridging local and central government – could look like. Plans are in motion within the ‘digital centre’ of government to reshape the way central government works and delivers public services, reflecting a recognition of the power of...

This report from UK think tank IPPR sets out 10 recommendations which, if delivered, would see a measurable improvement in school inclusion. An alarming number of children are missing out on the social and educational benefits of school. A crisis of lost learning is sweeping across schools in England. Children cannot learn if they are...

This report from UK think tank the Constitution Unit provides a concise overview of the current situation and possible reforms in 31 areas. The Labour government came to power in 2024 proposing constitutional reforms in a number of areas. This followed a decade which often saw debates about constitutional topics arise. Some of the government's...

This report from UK think tank the Institute for Government looks at making England’s ‘devolution revolution’ a reality. By May, over half of England’s population will live in an area covered by a metro mayor. The mayoral combined authorities (MCAs) they lead have already shown their capacity to take on responsibility for key local economic...