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Publications

We have an extensive catalogue of publications - research reports, long read articles, toolkits and best practice guidelines - that stem from our work with our member councils and other collaborations. Most publications are free to read and download as PDFs but you do need to be logged in to the website. Please sign in or set up an account if you don't already have one (this is free of charge). A few publications are for members only.

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Members

Primer: the essentials of local government finance in England

This primer is designed to provide newly-elected councillors with a short, non-technical introduction to the main features of local government finance in England, but should…
England & Wales

A New Settlement: place and wellbeing in local government

In this paper we argue that building back better after the pandemic must include a new settlement for place that reconnects the government’s “levelling up”…
England & Wales
Members & Followers

An introduction to overview and scrutiny

This guide has been produced for elected members who are involved in the council’s overview and scrutiny process and want to develop their questioning skills. 
England & Wales

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Members & Followers

Building Connected Communities

Our research, in partnership with the Ramblers, shows that local authorities want to build places that encourage walking and active travel.

England & Wales
Members & Followers

Beyond Devolution – the final report of the Local Democracy Network

At this key moment in the trajectory of the UK it is crucial to ask what the future has in store for local democracy. This is precisely what we do in Beyond Devolution, the final report of the Local Democracy Network, which LGiU convened throughout 2017.

England & Wales
Members & Followers

The local vantage: how views of local government finance vary across councils

This report, jointly written by researchers at the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), the Local Government Information Unit (LGiU) and PwC, looks at how the views of councils’ decision-makers relate to the characteristics of the councils they represent or work for.

England & Wales
Members & Followers

Reflections from the Frontline

Johanna Boyd reflects on her time spent as leader of Stirling Council and shares her insights into what makes a successful councillor.

Scotland
Members & Followers

Community collaboration: a councillor’s guide

Engaging people in the decisions that affect their lives is an essential feature of local democracy. This goes far beyond town hall meetings and opinion surveys: we must recognise that communities often hold the answers to their own problems and allow them an equal voice at the table. For the purposes of this report, we…

England & Wales
Members & Followers

Does local government work for women?

This interim report from the Commission on Women in Local Government outlines key findings from data analysis of women’s representation in councils across England and Wales, carried out by the Centre for Women and Democracy. It also presents the findings of an LGiU survey of 2,304 councillors, carried out between December 2016 and January 2017.

England & Wales
Members & Followers

Start of the possible

This report investigates for the first time the attitudes and perceptions of local elected representatives towards digital technology, governance and leadership in their authorities.

England & Wales