Signals of the future for local government

A new report by Ipsos Trends & Foresight for the Local Government Association suggests some new issues local government leaders might face in five years' time.

Ipsos Trends & Foresight was commissioned by the Local Government Association to conduct a horizon scan and driver analysis of key issues in UK society, to provide insights into what the leading drivers of change are in the country today and how these might play out for local authorities over the coming five years.

The aim was to provide some thought starters about the issues local government leaders might find in their inboxes by the year 2027.

To investigate this question Ipsos used a “PESTLE plus” analysis framework which informed an evidence review spanning demographic and statistical data, published survey and qualitative research and opinion and journalistic sources.

This report summarises the key drivers discovered in the analysis. It outlines thirteen drivers, nested within four themes. Each theme leads with some “provocations”, which provide examples of what these drivers might mean for local council leaders on the ground by 2027. The drivers behind these provocations are then introduced and explored in detail report, highlighting their core narrative and supporting data.

The aim of the provocations and drivers in this report is to give local leaders the space to consider potential solutions for tomorrow’s challenges, today. Councils and the LGA already have work and reports on the key pressures and delivery issues facing local authorities today, such as funding, social care, schooling and the cost of living. By offering some signals of how the future might look in five years’ time, this report will allow leaders to consider the steps they can take to mitigate threats from possible futures – and to take positive action to capitalise on opportunities and create policies that help them move towards a future that is preferable.

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