Councils should embrace a bold ‘changemaking’ approach

A new paper, published by the New Local Government Network, has argued that local authorities should adopt a bold ‘changemaking’ approach for its future steps.

Focused on the core values of creativity, collaboration and self-determination, the thought piece warns that councils run the risk of simply 'muddling through' with services becoming more fragmented if they do not embrace change.

A change making vision for local government states: "A changemaking approach would focus on using shifts in culture and norms to ramp up levels of impact. It would not necessarily reject the pursuit of organisational reform outright but it would recognise that the obsessive focus on structures through devolution, integration and economic development can exclude transformation of culture and norms to the detriment of overall impact. It recognises that without that cultural focus there is a risk that organisational restructure simply continues negative behavioural norms such as inertia, territorialism and hierarchy under a different banner."