This session sets out a bold new approach: a federated, public sector-led consultancy model that brings councils together to co-design scalable solutions to shared challenges.

Grounded in shared expertise, co-creation, and equity, this model aims to eliminate duplication, level the playing field, and accelerate progress for all—empowering a more collaborative, future-ready public sector.

We believe the future of local government delivery lies in enabling people across our councils to lead change with shared purpose, and to collaborate across organisational and geographic boundaries.

Big Idea: A Sector-Led Consultancy Model for Shared Challenges

Let’s ask some difficult questions:

How much is each council spending on software, consultants, and bespoke solutions to tackle the same problems?
How many of us depend on “luck”—a good account manager, a standout hire, or a place in a central government pilot—to make progress?
What happens to councils that miss out, but still face the same pressures?
And what about the systems and services we tolerate—not because they work, but because the cost or risk of change feels too high?

Now imagine a future where:

Councils pool their talent, experience, and creativity to design common solutions.
A national challenge, such as improving EHCP outcomes or reducing housing pressures, is tackled by a multi-disciplinary team drawn from across authorities.
These solutions—whether new processes, policy frameworks, or digital prototypes—are freely shared, adapted locally, and scaled.
No council is left behind, because innovation is a shared sector asset, not a privilege.

This model functions as a public sector “think-and-do tank,” built from within by the people who understand the challenges best.

It’s practical. It’s equitable. And it’s entirely achievable.

Takeaways

A compelling new vision for collaborative delivery across local government
Inspiration from leaders who have embraced courage, purpose, and systems thinking
Practical pathways to get involved—from digital participation to secondments
Energy, ambition, and momentum to help shape a shared delivery future

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International Meeting and Lunch

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