Growth, reform and trust - creating places that deliver the promise and potential of local government reform

Commissioned by the District Councils' Network and published in March 2025, Growth, Reform and Trust sets out how places can make the most of local government reorganisation. The report argues that LGR must go beyond structural consolidation to deliver meaningful renewal — driving economic growth, improving public wellbeing and restoring trust in the local state. It calls for a people and place-based approach to the design of future organisations, grounded in long-term ambition rather than short-term cost saving.

Read the report here.