Ask the Expert – Delivering through change – How can councils keep infrastructure projects on track? Wed, 1 Jul

Local government plays a central role in delivering the infrastructure that underpins thriving places – from housing and regeneration to transport and community facilities. But delivering that infrastructure is becoming more complex, more uncertain, and harder to sustain.

Delivering Through Change, a national report, from leading procurement specialist, SCAPE and LGIU, has revealed the mounting pressures affecting local councils’ ability to deliver. Based on insight from 70 senior local authority officers, directors and heads of service from 63 councils across England, the research has highlighted that challenges are emerging not just on site – but much earlier at the planning and procurement stage.

This joint LGIU and SCAPE session will explore where and why delivery is slowing – and where the opportunities to enhance delivery are clearest. From business case development and procurement complexity to funding uncertainty and market volatility, it will examine the sticking points in the system. The session will also consider how wider structural change – including devolution and local government reorganisation – is influencing councils’ ability to plan and deliver with confidence, both now and in the years ahead.

Drawing on Delivering Through Change, the discussion will bring together local government practitioners to reflect on what needs to shift – across policy, capability, and approach – to keep projects moving and ensure long-term ambitions translate into real outcomes on the ground

Key discussion areas:

• A system under pressure: The impact of policy uncertainty, funding constraints, and market volatility on delivery momentum.
• Where delivery is getting stuck: Exploring pressure points across the project lifecycle, particularly in early-stage development.
• The challenge before construction begins: How scoping, business cases, procurement, and access to commercial expertise are shaping project readiness.
• Navigating reform and reorganisation: What devolution and local government restructuring mean for capacity, capability, and continuity.
• Keeping projects moving: What councils and their partners can do to strengthen delivery approaches and build more resilient pipelines.

Speakers

Emily Atack Director –  Property, Development & Regeneration, Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils
Caroline Compton-James Deputy Chief Executive, SCAPE Group
Dan Godley Researcher, LGIU
Tony McGovern Director for Investment Delivery and Growth, City of Stoke on Trent Council
Jen Pufky Head of Partnerships, LGIU

Partner

Established in 2006 by six local authority shareholders, any surplus income they make is returned to the public sector – meaning they don’t just work with the public sector, they are the public sector.

They understand the challenges you face – from social value in construction to becoming net zero carbon neutral – and have developed solutions to support our shared ambitions. They're a not-for-profit organisation providing procurement frameworks that enable public sector organisations to deliver their essential projects – compliantly and collaboratively, with community at their heart.