Governance and Devolution

Place Capacity and Institutional Thickness: Leadership, Agency and the Governance of English Devolution

England’s devolution settlement is entering its most active phase yet. The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026 has put strategic authorities on a permanent legal footing, and the incoming premiership of Andy Burnham — himself a former Metro Mayor — looks set to push power and funding out to city-regions further and faster still. […]

Development Corporations

This report provides a timely stocktake of how development corporations have been used across the UK, the emerging pipeline of new proposals, and the conditions likely to determine their future success. It reviews the experience of previous New Town Development Corporations, Urban Development Corporations and Mayoral Development Corporations, and considers recent and future expansion in […]

Building Intergovernmental Capability Through Secondments: Lessons From Japan for the UK

This policy briefing explores how England’s devolution reforms could work more effectively by using staff secondments as a core part of the delivery system. Drawing on lessons from Japan’s structured, legally grounded approach, it shows how predictable and reciprocal staff movement can strengthen local capability, improve coordination across government tiers, and connect national policy design […]

AI in Local Government: Adoption, Benefits and Challenges

This report provides a timely stocktake of how artificial intelligence is being adopted in local government, what benefits are emerging, and what barriers still limit its wider deployment. It draws on analysis of 101 published AI case studies and engagement with a wide range of stakeholders, from local and central government, government agencies, academia, and […]

The Future of Local Democracy – Devolution and the Need to Empower Town and Parish Councils

Dr Amy Burnett (LPIP Place Fellow), Dr Jason Leman (Citizen Network) and Dr Daniel Ozarow (Middlesex University) examine how town and parish councils could play a central role in making devolution work for communities. This discussion paper was developed following the National Association of Local Councils’ Power Shift Conference and responds to the English Devolution […]

Exploring the Concept of Governance Capacity

This short report summarises the findings from a Local Policy Innovation Partnership (LPIP) Hub workshop carried out to explore the concept of governance capacity as a critical enabler of effective regional development and inclusive growth. Hosted by the LPIP Hub and led by Dr Charlotte Hoole, the session brought together stakeholders from across the UK’s […]