Future Local Delivering your future vision
Supporting Councils Through Reorganisation, Decision and Delivery
Future Local Delivering your future vision
Supporting Councils Through Reorganisation, Decision and Delivery
Introduction - Who We Are
Tailored Support and Advice
Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) is one of the most complex and high-stakes challenges councils face.
Future Local is a bespoke consultancy that specialises in supporting local authorities and their partners through complex LGR and devolution journeys. With years of previous experience in LGR, we design, develop, and deliver tailored approaches including strategic planning and day-to-day implementation helping to deliver your vision.
We are specialists in leadership. governance, member and stakeholder engagement and communications helping to create a compelling narrative.
We are experts in financial sustainability, commercial strategy and implementation.
Together, we provide a practical, senior-led partnership that helps councils move from consultation and planning to successful delivery and operation. We help councils to make better decisions early, avoid predictable risks and realise the full benefits of reorganisation from day one.
About Future Local - Our Experience
Our Experience
We bring deep, practical experience of supporting local authorities through multiple waves of reorgansiation:
- Four previous rounds - our team has been directly involved in the present round of LGR and the three previous rounds supporting multiple councils.
- Shape strong proposals - we've developed compelling and successful LGR submissions and business cases.
- Navigate complexity - we've managed the political, organisational and system-wide challenges of developing and implementing bids.
- Prepare and manage transition - we've supported shadow arrangements, vesting day and the practical steps needed for a smooth changeover.
- Implement in practice - we've turned approved proposals into functioning, effective new authorities.
- Create a compelling narrative and brand - we've engaged workforce, partners, business and residents around the new authority.
- Understanding what works and what doesn't - enabling councils to avoid pitfalls and act with greater confidence at each stage of the process.
This experience means we understand not only what makes a successful business case, but what is required to deliver a successful council post-decision.
About Future Local - Our Offer
Leadership and Member Confidence
Transition and Implementation Readiness
Strategic Narrative and Engagement
We support leaders and elected members to navigate LGR with clarity and confidence.
- Member development programmes
- Facilitated discussions to support key decisions
- Building understanding of new and expanded responsibilities
Strategic Narrative and Engagement
Transition and Implementation Readiness
Strategic Narrative and Engagement
We help councils explain change clearly helping to maintain trust.
- Develop a clear, outcome-focused narrative and brand working across all legacy councils
- Consistent communications internally and across all organisations
- Support to manage uncertainty and local sensitivies
- Engagement with MPs, partners, stakeholders and residents
Government & Parliamentary Insight
Transition and Implementation Readiness
Transition and Implementation Readiness
We support effective engagement with central government.
- Insights into how proposals are assessed and decision taken
- Understanding of legal and parliamentary processes including the importance of change orders
- Targeted advice at critical decision points
Transition and Implementation Readiness
Transition and Implementation Readiness
Transition and Implementation Readiness
We help councils prepare early for delivery.
- Governance models and structural options
- Shadow arrangements and member induction
- Early alignment of service design and operating models
About Future Local - Turning Plans into Delivery
Financial Planning and Delivery
We ensure the new authority is financially robust and deliverable.
- Realistic, tested financial projections
- Identification of transformation resource requirements
- Clear roadmap to deliver LGR benefits
- Assessment of assets and liabilities
Risk Identification and Implementation Support
We bring real-world experience of LGR delivery.
- Independent review of plans and assumptions
- Identification of high-risk 'danger spots'
- Advice on phasing, prioritisation and risk mitigation
Income and Commercial Strategy
We help councils maximise the opportunities created by LGR.
- Fees and charges reviews
- Identification of new income opportunities
- Early implementation to avoid delayed benefits
- Review of assets and commercial activity
- Decisions on investment, partnerships or exit
- Development of commercial strategy and delivery plans
Wider Transformation Support
We also support:
- Service design
- Corporate planning
- Performance frameworks
About Future Local - What Makes Us Different
Direct senior-level local government experience
Direct senior-level local government experience
Our team includes formers councillors and senior officers including 151 practitioners who have led and delivered LGR and major transformation programmes from within councils. We understand the realties, constraints and pressures you face.
Senior involvement throughout
Direct senior-level local government experience
The people you meet are the people who deliver. We do not delegate critical work to junior teams - ensuring continuity, quality and trusted relationships.
Practical, delivery-focused advice
We provide what works in practice, not just what works on paper - helping you make decisions that are implementable and sustainable.
Tailored, bespoke support
Every council and geography is different. We design support around your specific context, rather than applying standardised methodologies.
Flexible and responsible
We adapt quickly as circumstances change, providing targeted support at the moments that matter most.
Complementary, not duplicative
We work alongside existing programme teams and advisors, adding value in realism leadership, political alignment and delivery realism - areas often under-served in traditional consultancy models.
About Future Local - Our Team
Our Team
Andy Sawford
Andy Sawford
With years of experience in local government consultancy, the team at Future Local brings a wealth of knowledge to every project. We are passionate about devolution and delivering local government better able to meet the needs of the communities it serve.
Andy Sawford
Andy Sawford
Andy Sawford
Andy is a former Labour MP and Shadow Minister for Local Government, as well as being a long term consultant to local authorities and organisations including the LGA. Andy has provided LGR advice to local authorities in the current and previous three rounds of unitarisation under different governments, and was an adviser to the councils
Andy is a former Labour MP and Shadow Minister for Local Government, as well as being a long term consultant to local authorities and organisations including the LGA. Andy has provided LGR advice to local authorities in the current and previous three rounds of unitarisation under different governments, and was an adviser to the councils that drove the creation of the Westmorland and Furness Council in 2020/21
Giles Roca
Andy Sawford
Philippa Larcombe
Giles has worked in politics both locally and nationally for over twenty-five years. He has been a senior local government officer and political advisor in the Scottish and UK Parliaments and at the Local Government Association. He has advised Leaders, Chief Executives and LGR programme teams and oversaw and delivered the communications,
Giles has worked in politics both locally and nationally for over twenty-five years. He has been a senior local government officer and political advisor in the Scottish and UK Parliaments and at the Local Government Association. He has advised Leaders, Chief Executives and LGR programme teams and oversaw and delivered the communications, political and stakeholder engagement for a number of councils in the present round of LGR and the successful single unitary bid by Somerset County Council in 2020/21.
Philippa Larcombe
Philippa Larcombe
Philippa Larcombe
Philippa is an analyst and researcher with around twenty years of cross-sector experience across UK, national and international organisations. She has worked on traded services and commercial reviews for local government-funded organisations, before focusing almost exclusively on LGR since 2025, working on proposals across county, distric
Philippa is an analyst and researcher with around twenty years of cross-sector experience across UK, national and international organisations. She has worked on traded services and commercial reviews for local government-funded organisations, before focusing almost exclusively on LGR since 2025, working on proposals across county, district and city-led councils. Her particular focus is fees and charges: building cost models, benchmarking against comparable authorities and producing the evidence-based analysis and reports that help councils understand the true cost of their services and the financial case for change. She works directly with councils throughout an assignment, from gathering data with service teams through to presenting findings to senior leadership and elected members.
Outside of work, Philippa is a self-confessed coffee geek and committed supporter of the voluntary and charity sector, and can usually be found doing both at once, travelling unreasonable distances for an excellent cup of coffee whilst exploring the world in support of causes she cares about. She and her husband are currently establishing a new charitable organisation focused on technology-based socio-economic development in Eastern Africa.
Ken Lyon
Philippa Larcombe
David Elverson
Ken has spend the majority of his career leading and shaping change within Councils, predominantly core city unitary councils where he led the commercial and transformation journey. Ken then moved to be the Assistant CEO of a District within Lincolnshire where alongside responsibilities within his organisation he was the lead across all
Ken has spend the majority of his career leading and shaping change within Councils, predominantly core city unitary councils where he led the commercial and transformation journey. Ken then moved to be the Assistant CEO of a District within Lincolnshire where alongside responsibilities within his organisation he was the lead across all seven Districts to shape their response to devolution, LGR and opportunities to work with other public, private and voluntary sector partners to improve outcomes for people. Ken created Lyon Local Gov in 2022 with a focus on supporting Councils in delivering change, with a particular focus on financial sustainability. Ken has been instrumental in shaping a number of Councils responses to LGR – which has been founded on a strong understanding of the opportunities and risks for new Councils based on extensive experience of working with post-LGR councils.
Ken has spent extensive time (and money in the hospitality industry…) in many towns and cities across England – largely due to his family obsession of following Derby County home and away.
David Elverson
Philippa Larcombe
David Elverson
David has been working in public sector transformation for the last 20 years. He has been on the consultancy support team in a number of high profile 'mergers' in both the NHS and of UK Science Councils and for a period of time sat on a Cabinet Office Quality Review Panel as a subject matter expert, reviewing the impact on people and cul
David has been working in public sector transformation for the last 20 years. He has been on the consultancy support team in a number of high profile 'mergers' in both the NHS and of UK Science Councils and for a period of time sat on a Cabinet Office Quality Review Panel as a subject matter expert, reviewing the impact on people and culture of major government transformation programmes. David has worked with over 100 local authorities, largely around transformation and commercial development and has been actively involved in supporting LGR business cases in a number of areas around the country.
Contact Us
Contact Details
Giles Roca 07747 486479 gilesroca@futurelocal.co.uk Andy Sawford 07977 265325 andysawford@futurelocal.co.uk
Hours
Open today | 09:00 – 17:00 |
