Reorganisation of Local Government: Building for the Future

As local governments navigate reorganisation, it’s crucial to view this as an opportunity to create sustainable, future-proofed organisations. Jessica Studdert’s insightful article in New Local aligns with our approach at Tricordant. Here’s how we see these key shifts from our perspective on organisational health and design, and the potential role of artificial intelligence (AI) in local government transformation.

From Size to Impact

The current focus on population size requirements limits discussions. Instead, we should shift our attention to the nature of new organisations and their meaningful impact on populations and local places. At Tricordant, we believe in organising around value and enabling people to thrive. This means creating organisations rooted in their communities, ensuring they are responsive to local needs and priorities. As Rebecca Madgin and Michael Howcroft noted, place is a “centre of meaning comprised of feelings, emotions and experiences.”

From Efficiency Exercise to Purposeful Prevention

The contested savings from reorganisation highlight the need for a more purposeful approach. We must embed preventative operating models into new organisations and wider systems. Reorganisation can risk deflecting attention and degrading system connections, but it also offers a chance to enhance long-term organisational and system health by focusing on prevention by design. Design for prevention, leveraging place’s strengths, to better equip them for future challenges.

From Cost-Cutting to Deep Democratic Renewal

Reorganisation should not be seen merely as a cost-cutting exercise. Instead, it should be an opportunity to embed deeper participation and deliberation, creating more opportunities for meaningful community power and dialogue. At Tricordant, we believe in the power of inclusive and collaborative approaches – the ‘wisdom is in the crowd’. By involving communities in decision-making, we can create organisations that are more responsive to their needs and better equipped for long-term success.

From Short-Term to Long-Term Outcomes

The fast pace of short deadlines and big ambitions forces everyone to focus on immediate hurdles rather than designing for the end point. We need to transition into a phase that enables long-term planning. This involves embedding shifts into a new, empowered local tier of governance. We advocate for a holistic and human-centred approach to organisation design, enabled by digital tools, ensuring new operating models align with the organisation’s strategy and nurture an environment where everyone can thrive.

The Role of Artificial Intelligence

AI has the potential to be a key enabler in local government transformation. However, it must be part of an integrated operating model. AI can provide data-driven insights that enhance decision-making without losing the human touch. By integrating AI capabilities with whole-system thinking, we can guide organisations through complex choices and change. This approach ensures new operating models are not only efficient but also sustainable and socially impactful.

Conclusion

Reorganisation of local government presents a unique opportunity to create future-proofed organisations built to endure. By shifting our focus from size to impact, efficiency exercises to purposeful prevention, cost-cutting to deep democratic renewal, and short-term to long-term outcomes, we can create healthier and more resilient organisations. At Tricordant, we are committed to supporting leaders in this journey, bringing their vision to reality and making a positive difference to society. Contact me to learn more about how we could help you.