From Firefighting to Future-Proofing – Why Whole-Organisation Transformation Is No Longer Optional for Local Government
By Alexa Ngini, ICC Senior Consultant
Note - Our team will be in Birmingham for Public Finance Live on 24 and 25 June. If you are going and would like to catch up with us, you can reach out to Alexa at [email protected]
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Across England, local government is in the grip of an unprecedented financial squeeze. Adult and Children’s Social Care often consumes more than 70% of total council budgets. Rising homelessness, increasing complexity in SEND provision and surging demand in frontline services are stretching resources to the limit. Councils are often stuck in survival mode. The question every one must now ask is: what are we for?
At Inner Circle Consulting (ICC) we believe the answer lies in radical, whole-organisation transformation. It's the only credible solution to restore financial sustainability and rebuild trust in public services. This is not just about balancing the books – it’s about creating resilient, modern institutions that meet the needs of the people and communities they serve.
‘Transformation’ does not mean tweaking at the edges. Transformation means fundamentally reshaping how councils operate, invest, and plan. It means prioritising prevention over crisis, enabling teams to manage demand more effectively and serve communities holistically. It means better use of data and digital tools, integrated services and embedding a culture of continuous improvement.
We’ve seen this in action through our work with councils across the country, supporting the delivery of Finance Improvement Plans. By strengthening financial planning, controls, and performance oversight, and developing a model for risk management and internal audit, we have helped to lay the foundations for a more accountable, resilient council.
We’re currently working with many more councils to reimagine the role of local government – be it risk managers or community builders, service providers to strategic enablers. Our bespoke tools and approaches enable councils to tackle the root causes of financial and service failure. We help leaders focus on the fundamentals – governance, capability, systems – while also pursuing innovative, people-centred models of growth.
There is huge opportunity in the challenge. Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) is a once in a generation chance to design institutions that are fit for the future. It allows for better resource alignment, smarter service delivery and more accountable local leadership. Equally, fiscal devolution presents the chance to grow local economies, create good jobs and retain more of the wealth generated in these communities. It would be a travesty if merely standing these new organisations up as ‘safe and legal’ is the quality hallmark.
We’ve seen first-hand how - when councils transform how they work across systems and departments, breaking down silos, aligning finance with strategy, using assets creatively – local authorities can unlock the ability not just to survive, but to thrive. But too many are still stuck in crisis mode, unable to pursue growth because they’re focused on just staying afloat.
We must reverse that trend. Local authorities are key catalysts of growth. To fulfil that role, they need trusted partners who bring clarity to complexity and share the burden of change. That’s what ICC exists to do.
Transformation is not the silver bullet. It’s the whole armoury. And now is the time to deploy.
Alexa Ngini is a CIPFA-qualified accountant with strong expertise in assurance, audit, transformation consulting, and value-for-money reviews, specialising in helping councils overcome severe financial pressures such as section 114 notices and Exceptional Financial Support (EFS). Her focus is on driving bold, strategic change that builds resilient, accountable, and future-ready organisations. Want to continue the conversation?
Get in touch with Alexa at [email protected] or reach out here.