Grace Pollard

@gracepollard.bsky.social

Head of Policy and Insights @wearenewlocal.bsky.social local government, community power, innovation in public services, devolution. Views own.

“The solutions to the seemingly intractable problems we face can be solved by the very communities we serve.” Ian Thomas, CBE, Town Clerk & Chief Executive of the City of London Corporation, sets the scene for today’s festival of community power #StrongerThings ⭐️

Bild

🎉 We have officially SOLD OUT of in-person tickets for #StrongerThings 2025! But you can still be part of the action – from wherever you are. Join us online on 3 June for livestreamed keynotes, exclusive workshops, BTS interviews + more! 🔗 Register here:

STRONGER THINGS ONLINE - New Local

Home | Speakers | Agenda | ST Online | Partners | | Plan Your Day | FAQ | New Thinking STRONGER THINGS ONLINE Join Stronger Things 2025 from wherever you are Whilst there is nothing quite like the…

buff.ly

It's fantastic timing for this report from @wearenewlocal.bsky.social & @raynefoundation.bsky.social about the vital role community centres (+ assets more broadly) play in transforming neighbourhoods for local benefit — and the investment ecosystem to unlock this at scale. Read more 👇 3/ 🧵

“This is the place”: The case for investing in community centres - New Local

Community centres have long stood as pillars of local life, but we are losing these spaces at pace and at scale.

newlocal.org.uk

Though vital for connection, community spaces in England have been declining over the years. We welcome the launch of @wearenewlocal.bsky.social’s report which highlights how community centres are vital infrastructure for communities & why they should receive long-term funding: buff.ly/OFY7FBE [1/3]

Where People Meet: How We Celebrate, Sustain and Reimagine Community Centres - New Local

This report sets out the vital role that community centres play in local areas and makes the case for investing in their future.

newlocal.org.uk

New research from @wearenewlocal.bsky.social sets out the vital role that community centres play in local areas and makes the case for meaningful investment. It puts forward a vision for community centres of the future and the contribution they could make to the regeneration of our neighbourhoods⬇️

New Local@wearenewlocal.bsky.social · last yr.

🆕 Where People Meet: How We Celebrate, Sustain and Reimagine Community Centres In a report out today, we make the case for meaningful investment in community centres at the national and local level to dismantle the challenges standing in their way. buff.ly/OFY7FBE 🧵

This insightful and practical report is valuable reading for local gov, NHS, funders & policymakers. With housebuilding, regeneration, prevention & neighbourhood working high on the policy agenda - it's a critical moment to reflect how we sustain and nurture this important social infrastructure.

New Local@wearenewlocal.bsky.social · last yr.

🆕 Where People Meet: How We Celebrate, Sustain and Reimagine Community Centres In a report out today, we make the case for meaningful investment in community centres at the national and local level to dismantle the challenges standing in their way. buff.ly/OFY7FBE 🧵

With the growing policy focus on working at the scale of neighbourhoods - this is a timely and thoughtful piece from @nicksinclair.bsky.social and David Robinson on "relational neighbourhoods".

Relationships Project@rshipsproject.bsky.social · last yr.

Nick Sinclair and David Robinson reflect on recent policy-driven changes that offer opportunities for achieving #relational neighbourhoods: "an area where connections matter as much as, if not more than, geography." relationshipsproject.org/the-relational-neighbourhood/ @nicksinclair.bsky.social

What does the English Devolution White Paper mean for public services? What is needed to make it work? @jesstud.bsky.social on this ➕ more on The Local Authority Podcast 🎙 “There is a deeper and more sophisticated conversation to be had about cost and spend across a place”.

English devolution white paper: Public service reform

The English devolution white paper outlines ambitions to join up public services, hand mayors more influence over arms length bodies and give them a bigger role in other public services. What does…

buff.ly

Power. Prevention. Place. These are the pillars of an emerging 'new local', writes Jessica Studdert in a new think piece. www.newlocal.org.uk/articles/wha... Because the system isn't unfixable - it's being mended from the ground up, alongside communities - & it's time national players took note.

What is the ‘new local’? Power, prevention and place - New Local

As the Government’s agenda for local government, devolution and public services takes shape, a ‘new local’ is emerging, built on the principles of power, prevention and place.

newlocal.org.uk

Big day for devo & localism: the English Devo White Paper starts important discussion about practical routes to meaningfully redistribute power & rewire public services & ££ across places. We need to focus on scale for impact regions-local-community. Full @wearenewlocal.bsky.social response here:

New Local@wearenewlocal.bsky.social · 2y ago

While the English Devolution White Paper makes important headway in decentralising power, reform needs to be purpose-driven, rather than simply structures-driven. Read our response: www.newlocal.org.uk/articles/new...

"Rather than a zero-sum wrangle between tiers, we need to ensure empowered, confident governing institutions emerge and evolve to face out to communities" @jesstud.bsky.social on the strategy that's needed for public service reform 🔗 www.lgcplus.com/politics/dev...

Jessica Studdert: The roots of a more radical shift are being established

The government needs an overarching strategy for public service reform that dispenses with tradition...

lgcplus.com

Good to be at Pat McFadden speech this morning announcing test & learn reforms across the country in Liverpool, Sheffield, Manchester & Essex. Important focus on shifting civil service structures away from a focus on process, towards outcomes- with emphasis on insights from the frontline.

Bild