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Local Trust

@localtrust.org.uk

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Supporting people to do brilliant things in their communities #BigLocal #CreativeCivicChange Secretariat for the Community Wealth Fund - bsky.app/profile/commwealthfund.bsky.social localtrust.org.uk

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Local Trust @localtrust.org.uk · Nov 18

We’re happy to be on Bluesky! Find out what makes the #BigLocal funding programme so unique – and sign up for regular updates from us – at localtrust.org.uk/big-local/ab...

About Big Local

Through Big Local, 150 areas across England were enabled to create lasting change in their neighbourhoods over 10 to...

localtrust.org.uk

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Local Trust @localtrust.org.uk · 3h

Big Local has demonstrated what happens when residents are trusted to make decisions for their community. The report lays out a new framework of the relationship between the people and the state, reinforcing the principles that have guided Big Local from the start.
🔗: bit.ly/4o2yVLe
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Mission Critical 04: A new relationship between people and the state

A new framework for rethinking the relationship between people and the state, which brings together outcomes, power & participation.

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Local Trust @localtrust.org.uk · 3h

Last week, @futuregovforum.bsky.social published ‘Mission Critical 04’ in partnership with Local Trust, exploring how government can deliver on its missions by resetting its relationship with people, starting at the neighbourhood level.

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Figure 1 shows a circular diagram titled “Our framework for effectively delivering missions at a neighbourhood level.” It illustrates a mutually reinforcing cycle of three stages:

Neighbourhood outcomes — results aligned to local priorities and needs.

Neighbourhood power — communities gain the ability to influence and act on local decisions.

Citizen participation — residents engage actively in shaping their neighbourhoods.

Arrows connect the three stages in a continuous loop: neighbourhood outcomes lead to neighbourhood power, which leads to citizen participation, which in turn strengthens neighbourhood outcomes — showing how local engagement, empowerment, and outcomes reinforce one another.

The Local Trust and Future Governance Forum logos are visible at the top.

igure 2 shows a circular diagram titled “A vicious cycle of outcomes set with little regard to neighbourhood needs, creating little need for neighbourhoods to have power, and so limited desire to participate in democratic processes.”

The cycle includes three main stages connected by arrows:

A) Outcomes set nationally, with little regard to neighbourhood needs.
Supporting text: “Neighbourhoods do not need decision-making powers as their role is to implement policy decided nationally.”

The Local Trust and Future Governance Forum logos are visible at the top.

B) Neighbourhoods have limited power but also limited capacity to wield it.
Supporting text: “Efforts to increase participation are viewed as tokenistic since they are not linked to powers to make change happen.”

C) People are cynical about participating in democratic processes.
Supporting text: “Disconnection between nationally-set outcomes and neighbourhood-level need feeds cynicism about politics.”

Arrows link each stage in a continuous loop, illustrating how national-level decision-making, limited local power, and citizen cynicism reinforce one another in a negative cycle.

Figure 3 shows a circular diagram titled “A proposal for a virtuous cycle of outcomes aligned to neighbourhood priorities, neighbourhoods with power, and greater participation.”

The cycle has three main stages connected by arrows:

A) Neighbourhoods are at the heart of government efforts to improve outcomes.
Supporting text: “Neighbourhoods can meaningfully play a role in policy-making if they actually have the powers to enact policy.”

B) Neighbourhoods can effectively wield power, enabled by an ecosystem of support.
Supporting text: “Participation is more meaningful if attached to power to make change happen.”

C) People participate more in democratic processes.
Supporting text: “Citizen participation ensures that neighbourhood priorities are well understood, so that policy-making is more responsive to actual needs.”

Arrows connect each stage in a continuous loop, illustrating how empowered neighbourhoods, meaningful participation, and responsive policy-making reinforce one another in a positive cycle.

The Local Trust and Future Governance Forum logos are visible at the top.

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Local Trust @localtrust.org.uk · 1d

Our head of policy & comms @maddiejennings.bsky.social will be speaking at the launch of @thetcpa.bsky.social's new suite of Community Planning Guides, which will cover practical ways for communities to tackle the most pressing issues in relation to climate change.
🔗Register: https://bit.ly/4h6WBeR

A graphic for a Launch Webinar on the Practical Hope Community Guides about flooding, overheating, and community retrofit. The event is on Tuesday 21 October, 7–8 pm. The text explains that it will showcase practical ways for communities to tackle climate change challenges. At the bottom are images of three guide covers: “Community guide to retrofit,” “Community guide to flood risk,” and “Community guide to overheating.” Colorful bunting decorates the top of the image.

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Local Trust @localtrust.org.uk · 2d

Because it manifests in subtle ways, social capital can be a tricky concept to define. In this briefing paper, Adam Coutts and Diego Mauricio Díaz Velásquez explore the definitions of social capital across academia. Read it to learn what definition we used for our series: bit.ly/48nXuxq
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Cover page of a briefing paper titled "Social Capital 2025: What is Social Capital?" The document is branded with the logos of Demos, Local Trust and 3ni – national network for neighbourhood improvement. The design features black and white text on a teal background, with the word “SOCIAL” having a red “O”.

Local Trust @localtrust.org.uk · 2d

How do we define social capital?
Earlier this year, we partnered with @demos-ul.bsky.social and 3ni to produce a series of policy papers exploring how strong social capital can improve social and economic outcomes at the neighbourhood level.
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Local Trust @localtrust.org.uk · 5d

The event explored how authorities can work with communities to put residents at the heart of change. 3ni director Dan Crowe writes more in his piece in The New Statesman: bit.ly/3IP09G4
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Local Trust @localtrust.org.uk · 5d

"When residents are given the power to decide how money is spent, the results bring lasting, positive change to places that need it most."
Last week, we were pleased to attend 3ni and the New Statesman's event at the Labour Party conference, titled ‘Building Social Capital for Neighbourhoods.’
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A panel of five people sits at tables during a conference discussion. One man holds a microphone and speaks while others listen attentively. Papers, glasses, and water pitchers are on the tables. A presentation screen in the background displays text. The audience is visible in the foreground.

Local Trust @localtrust.org.uk · 6d

In our latest blog, our head of policy and communications @maddiejennings.bsky.social reflects on the significance of this report and outlines practical opportunities for the government to make neighbourhood renewal real. Read it here: bit.ly/4q3E5rR

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Devolving powers: why neighbourhoods hold the key to government success

This report calls on the government to shift power to neighbourhoods through investment and participation to achieve national renewal

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Local Trust @localtrust.org.uk · 6d

Making neighbourhood renewal real - what will it take from the govt?
We're pleased to have supported @futuregovforum.bsky.social's report 'Mission Critical 04'.
Drawing on insights from Big Local, it explores how government can work in partnership with communities to deliver national renewal.
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Reposted by Local Trust

The Future Governance Forum (FGF) @futuregovforum.bsky.social · 6d

Read @gracewyld.bsky.social and Ollie Smith's article in the Local Government Chronicle about why it’s ‘Time to change the relationship between people and the state’ and the launch of a new FGF and @localtrust.org.uk report 🔽

www.lgcplus.com/politics/lgc...

Time to change relationship between people and state

The government’s mission playbook should be taken to a neighbourhood level, write Grace Wyld, head of policy and research, and Ollie Smith, policy

www.lgcplus.com

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Local Trust @localtrust.org.uk · 6d

National renewal cannot be achieved from the top down. It requires genuine partnership between people and the state, closing the gap between Whitehall and the communities that have been left behind for too long.

Read the full report here: bit.ly/47cI2Df

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Mission Critical 04: Building a new relationship between people and the state - Future Governance Forum

Mission Critical 04: Building a new relationship between people and the state, proposes a framework for delivering a new relationship between people and the state to enable the delivery of the nationa...

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Local Trust @localtrust.org.uk · 6d

📢 New research proposes a new framework for rethinking the relationship between people & the state.

We’ve partnered with @futuregovforum.bsky.social on a new report that sets out a framework of how government & communities can work together to achieve the govt’s mission of national renewal.

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A graphic from Local Trust announcing a new report titled "Rethinking the relationship between people and the state." The image features the logos of Local Trust, The National Lottery Community Fund, and Future Governance Forum. The bottom section has bold black text on an orange background reading “MISSION CRITICAL 04"

Local Trust @localtrust.org.uk · 7d

📸 Highlights from our Continuing Community Action event in Birmingham!

With only six months until Big Local comes to a close, the event brought together Big Local areas & their legacy organisations to explore how they can continue driving change in their communities.

Thanks to all attendees!

Two individuals standing at a booth, smiling and engaging in conversation beside a laptop.

Local Trust CEO Rachel Rowney talking at a conference podium.

Two individuals standing beside a table with a banner that reads "Amazing Communities Together" at an event with colorful bunting in the background.

Two individuals presenting at a conference podium. The background includes a presentation screen displaying text and images.

Local Trust @localtrust.org.uk · 8d

These areas were chosen using the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) and the Community Needs Index (CNI), a tool we commissioned to measure social & cultural factors affecting life chances & the impact of social infrastructure in deprived communities. Learn more about the CNI: bit.ly/4ocgh3A
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Local Trust @localtrust.org.uk · 8d

❓Which communities will see the government’s Pride in Place funding in action?

Last week, the government announced the Pride in Place strategy, directing up to £5bn in funding to 339 local communities and giving them control over how it’s spent.

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Local Trust @localtrust.org.uk · 9d

Hyper-local, resident-led approaches aren’t just a nice-to-have. They must be at the heart of regional economic plans. The government’s Pride in Place Strategy and the Community Wealth Fund are steps in the right direction - but we can and should go further. Read the blog: bit.ly/4mUdQ4D

Neighbourhoods That Work: Why Hyper-Local, Resident-Led Action Deserves a Bigger Role in Regional Policy – Y-PERN

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Local Trust @localtrust.org.uk · 9d

In a new blog for Y-PERN, Natasha Almond highlights research showing that neighbourhoods with resident power, resources, and long-term support thrive. She shares examples, such as Tang Hall Community Centre in York, where local leadership & collaboration have built lasting “good neighbour” networks.

A graphic featuring the Local Trust, Big Local, and the National Lottery Community Fund logos. It features the heading: "Natasha’s top three insights for regional policymakers and researchers on resident-led action." Below is the name and title, "Natasha Almond, Senior programmes coordinator, Local Trust," with an arrow pointing right. On the right side is a smiling woman with dark hair tied back, wearing a dark shirt, set against a green background with circular design elements.

A green graphic featuring the Local Trust, Big Local, and National Lottery Community Fund logos. The text reads:
"1. Neighbourhoods matter.
2. Trusting residents works.
3. Local research engagement can make a difference."
At the bottom right, there is a simple black outline icon of two hands shaking.

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Local Trust @localtrust.org.uk · 12d

We’re proud to be a member of the Community Wealth Fund Alliance (CWFA), serving as its secretariat since its inception in 2019.

📺 Watch the full video to see the timeline of the campaign.

Learn more about the CWF: bit.ly/3IHUEZO

Community Wealth Fund @commwealthfund.bsky.social · 13d

Last week the government confirmed that the CWF will support the rebuilding of social infrastructure in some of England’s most deprived areas

🎉This is a massive achievement and concludes our 7 year campaign:

Local Trust @localtrust.org.uk · 12d

In this video, Heston West Big Local share how their legacy organisations - C-Change West London, Elevate Community Productions, and their community garden and café - will continue to grow and nurture the spirit of Big Local in years to come.

🎥Video by Elevate Community Productions

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Local Trust @localtrust.org.uk · 12d

The Big Local programme will come to an end in March 2026, having supported the transformation of 150 communities across England with just over £1m each. With only six months to go, it’s a moment not only to look back at what we’ve achieved, but to celebrate our legacy.
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Local Trust @localtrust.org.uk · 14d

This webinar will provide an overview of the guides, which highlight the practical ways in which communities can work towards tackling three of the most pressing issues facing communities in relation to climate change – flooding, overheating, and community retrofit.
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Graphic titled 'Practical Hope - Inspiration for Community Action' by TCPA, featuring stylized illustrations of individuals engaged in community work, including a person with a wheelbarrow and children playing, set against a backdrop of houses with one featuring a solar panel.

Local Trust @localtrust.org.uk · 14d

📢Our head of policy and communications @maddiejennings.bsky.social is speaking at the launch of @thetcpa.bsky.social's new community planning guides as part of their Practical Hope: Inspiration for Community Action series.

📅 21 October
🕖7 - 8 pm
🔗 bit.ly/46EBV9e

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Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: Launch Webinar: Practical Hope Community Guides. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar.

Practical Hope: Inspiration for Community Action Please join us for the launch of the TCPA’s new suite of Community Planning Guides as part of the TCPA’s Practical Hope: Inspiration for Community…

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Local Trust @localtrust.org.uk · 15d

Last week, the government confirmed that the Community Wealth Fund will be targeted at doubly disadvantaged neighbourhoods. This marks a significant victory for @commwealthfund.bsky.social, for which we have served as the secretariat since its inception.🏆

Learn more: bit.ly/46FfFMt

Reposted by Local Trust

IPPR North @ipprnorth.bsky.social · 15d

And we're kicking off with our event ✨ Devolution Revolution✨ with @andyburnham.bsky.social @allymcgovern.bsky.social, @localtrust.org.uk' Rachel Rowney & Big Local's Jack Burkinshaw. Chaired by our @zoebillingham.bsky.social

#LC25 #IPPRfringe #devolution

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Local Trust @localtrust.org.uk · 16d

We’ve got an exciting day ahead of us at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool.

Find us at the following events:

➡️ Building social capital for neighbourhoods

➡️ The devolution revolution: shifting power for national renewal

We look forward to seeing you there 👋