‘Creating better places’ is a series of ten resource packs grounded in insights from the 52 local authorities that took part in the Net Zero Living programme. It is a resource for council officers who are driving local outcomes through clean energy and decarbonisation projects, as well as those working with them to support local growth.
Experience Level:
FoundationPart of: Net Zero Living
Net Zero Living programme: 'Creating better places' handbook
‘Creating better places’ is a series of ten resource packs grounded in insights from the 52 local authorities that took part in the Net Zero Living programme. It is a resource for council officers who are driving local outcomes through clean energy and decarbonisation projects, as well as those working with them to support local growth.
The series is rooted in real-world evidence. It reveals the unique role local authorities play in building a local mandate, convening partners, enabling delivery, and shaping market conditions for change. And it shares how the programme has provided specialist support along the way to reach these outcomes faster, and at scale.
The introductory handbook opens the series by setting out where places have done things differently in familiar parts of local delivery. It shows that, when climate action is embedded well, it is a powerful lever to improve everyday outcomes for residents and support place-based renewal and resilient economic growth.
Each individual resource pack goes deeper into one of the ten areas where local innovation can make delivery smoother and more investable. They cover topics such as: putting people at the centre, building capacity, making governance work through change, enabling partnerships, collaborating regionally, using digital platforms, building investable pipelines, and supporting the supply chain and workforce.
The series brings together key concepts, learnings from other councils, tried-and-tested steps, practical tools, and further resources. Together, the series helps places avoid starting from scratch, speed up delivery, and achieve better outcomes more efficiently and effectively.
The resource packs are designed to be used alongside the ‘Creating better places‘ handbook. The handbook provides an overview of where local authorities participating in the Net Zero Living programme have done things differently in the ten areas of local delivery.
Community engagement done well builds legitimacy, unlocks new ideas, and strengthens delivery. It helps local authorities move beyond one-off consultations to lasting relationships that reflect real life and real concerns.
This resource pack shares examples and key concepts to help UK local authorities understand about effective community engagement and just transition. Read the pack to explore practical steps, tools, and resources that help local authorities shift from simply informing to actively empowering people.
When Net Zero is embedded in everyday planning and delivery, it strengthens core local services instead of being seen as a competing priority. It helps local authorities address familiar pressures, from rising costs and fuel poverty to economic resilience and public health, while creating long-term value for communities.
This resource pack shares key concepts to help people working in local authorities to position Net Zero as an enabler of better outcomes. Read the pack to explore practical steps, tools, and resources that can help local authorities transition from treating climate as an add-on, to identifying opportunities where Net Zero enables delivery against existing strategic priorities.
Strong capacity is a powerful accelerator of delivery. When local authorities and other organisations have the right mix of skills, systems, and confidence, they can move faster, work across silos, and turn plans into action.
This resource pack shares key concepts to help organisations understand about building local authority capacity and reframing climate action as part of core service delivery. Read the pack to explore practical steps, tools, and resources that can help local authorities move from treating capacity as individual skills gaps to building delivery capability across the organisation.
Political and institutional change is a normal part of how local government works. These shifts can disrupt delivery, dilute focus, or stall progress. However, when handled well they also create chances to reset priorities, strengthen governance, and build on what works.
This resource pack shares examples and key concepts for local authorities navigating political and institutional change. Read the pack to explore practical steps, tools, and resources that can help local authorities shift from reacting to change to designing for continuity.
Strong collaborations are essential for delivering change at pace and scale. When local authorities use their convening power well, partnerships unlock skills, capacity, and investment that no single organisation can deliver alone.
This resource pack shares examples and key concepts to help local authorities gain a clearer understanding about enabling partnerships in local Net Zero ecosystems. Read the pack to explore practical steps, tools, and resources that can be used to build an effective ecosystem of collaboration.
Regional collaboration helps local authorities do things together that they can’t achieve on their own. By working across boundaries, they can pool expertise, align priorities, and build the critical mass needed for major infrastructure, skills, and investment programmes.
This resource pack shares examples and key concepts to help local authorities understand how to scale impact. Read the pack to explore practical steps, tools, and resources that can help local authorities implement purposeful regional collaboration and turn regional ambition into investable, deliverable action.
Used well, data and digital platforms can help local authorities do more than monitor progress. They can support clearer priorities, stronger coordination with partners, and better decisions across complex place-based systems.
This resource pack shares examples and key concepts to help local authorities build confidence and skills in using digital platforms effectively. Read the pack to explore practical steps, tools, and resources that can help organisations transition from being data-led to being data-informed, using digital tools to enable collaboration, decision-making, and delivery.
Investable pipelines turn ambition into delivery. When local authorities develop clear, prioritised pipelines of projects, they build confidence among funders, partners, and communities.
This resource pack shares examples and key concepts to help local authorities understand what makes a project investable. Read the pack to explore practical steps, tools, and resources that can help organisations move from long lists of aspirations towards structured, investable pipelines.
A capable supply chain and skilled workforce are essential for turning plans into reality. When skills, training, and business capacity are aligned with real delivery demand, local authorities can accelerate progress, support local jobs, and strengthen economic resilience.
This resource pack shares examples and key concepts to help local authorities understand about workforce planning for decarbonisation. Read the pack to explore practical steps, tools, and resources that can help organisations adopt demand-led workforce and supply chain planning.
Resource pack coming soon.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Innovate UK. You may use this content (including commercially) under the Open Government Licence v3.0, provided you credit Innovate UK and include the licence link.
Designed to aid Local Authorities in developing robust, evidence-based plans to enable Net Zero.
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