Local Authorities and Governments

A 2024 Local Government Information Unit (LGIU) survey of English citizens found that only 43% trusted local councillors to work in the best interests of local people and that 62% wanted greater insight into how councils took decisions. These results feed into each other. The more we know about the processes involved in converting our local taxes into services for the community, the more we can trust those processes are carried out with the right intentions.  Transparency over decision-making and service delivery allows the public to hold local government organisations accountable for their actions. In turn, this encourages councillors to...

The government of the Netherlands is currently implementing a range of reforms to improve transparency and accountability in government. From Wet digitale overheid (Wdo) creating standards for digital interaction and Wet open overheid (Woo) dictating which materials governing bodies should make public to Wet hergebruik overheidsinformatie (Who), which demands that bodies must hold public information in an accessible format to allow other organisations to reuse it for other purposes.  This ongoing government digital transformation may lead to an increased burden when carrying out processes within your council. The need to produce documentation in a timely manner, in the correct format,...

As scrutiny of the UK’s water sector continues to grow, boards across water companies, regional authorities and partnerships are under more pressure than ever to demonstrate strong governance, transparency and accountability. From Ofwat’s corporate governance expectations to the Environment Agency’s requirements for transparency and risk management, effective meeting processes are vital to ensure compliance and sound decision-making. This article explains how boards in the UK water sector can strengthen their meetings – from preparation to follow-up – to ensure both regulatory compliance and operational efficiency. Key takeaways How to run effective board meetings 1. Preparation Develop a clear and focused...

When the vote counting ends and returning officers confirm the results, the real work begins for councils across the UK. Newly elected members are sworn in, committees formed, and meetings scheduled – all while councils continue to uphold their transparency and accountability obligations under the Local Government Act and Freedom of Information (FOI) legislation. Balancing these responsibilities can be challenging, especially for democratic services teams and council officers already managing heavy workloads. The key to maintaining strong, transparent governance lies in embracing digital processes. This article explores how replacing paper-based systems and streamlining workflows can improve the quality, speed and...

Around the world, governments are under increasing pressure to provide greater transparency. Citizens want to know not only what decisions are being made but also why and how. Access-to-information laws—such as the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) in the United States, the Aarhus Convention in Europe, and the Wet open overheid (WOO) in the Netherlands—are designed to ensure that public bodies are open, accountable, and serve their communities responsibly. At the heart of these regulations lies the same principle: citizens have the right to access government information. By disclosing policies, decisions, and operations, municipalities can build a culture of trust,...

Across the world, governments are under pressure to increase transparency and make information more easily accessible to the public. From the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) in the United States to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in the UK, the Aarhus Convention in Europe, and other open-government initiatives, municipalities and councils face growing obligations to disclose agendas, meeting documents, and decisions. These frameworks, designed to improve transparency across all levels of government, generally mandate councils to make: While this helps the public, press and politicians hold governing bodies to account, it also creates an administrative burden. Without a structured...

There are numerous benefits of the different types of civic engagement, which include increasing trust in the democratic process, fostering a sense of community and the opportunity to hold elected officials accountable for their actions.  However, the UK government found that levels of engagement in fact dropped between 2020/21 and 2021/22, when 41% and 34% of citizens respectively confirmed they had partaken in at least one form of civic engagement.  The good news is that councils have the opportunity to reverse this trend and improve their outreach to citizens. However, it is important to be strategic about seeking participation from...

One of the most powerful tools a government organisation has in its arsenal is the ability to interact with the people that it represents. Creating this two-way, consultative relationship can bring many benefits to local councils and municipalities. As the World Bank states: “Citizens play a critical role in advocating and helping to make public institutions more transparent, accountable, and effective, and contributing innovative solutions to complex development challenges.” Whereas once this engagement would take place solely in face-to-face, in-person situations, nowadays, a majority of interactions take place online. However, many government organisations have yet to take advantage of their...