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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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
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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
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Paying for it: the human cost of cut-price care

The LGiU worked with the Mears Group to help tell the story of the human impact of provider failure and withdrawal from the home care market. This report presents these stories alongside analysis of the current state of commissioning and funding of home care.

England & Wales
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Guide to Crowdfunding for Local Authorities

This guide will help you to unpick the different types of crowdfunding, their uses within and outside local government, and contains practical tips for those who wish to give crowdfunding a try.

England & Wales
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2017 State of Local Government Finance survey

The LGiU and MJ jointly conducted the 2017 State of Local Government Finance survey from 5 January – 26 January 2017 and received 163 responses.

England & Wales
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Councillors’ attitudes to the planning system

A survey of over 1,200 ward councillors in England, carried out by the Local Government Information Unit, and commissioned by the National Trust, reveals councillors’ view that the planning system works in the interests of developers over councils and local communities.

England & Wales
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Telling stories: reality, fiction and local government

How has local government been represented in fiction? What stories does it tell us and does the fictional portrayal of councils and councillors reflect the reality of this world and critically does fiction itself influence that reality? Janet Sillett explores the reality of local government in fiction in our latest long read.

England & Wales