Positive, people-centred practice underpinned by clear communication helps colleagues embrace opportunities and lays the foundation for a unified new council.
Workforce activity ensures colleagues feel informed, supported and equipped to contribute to a modern, high-performing authority from day one.
Across LGR-experienced councils, workforce delivery is strongest where teams:
- Establish a comprehensive staff dataset, reflecting the LGA's Ten Essential Workforce Considerations for LGR on early mapping, HR capacity and data quality to underpin seamless transfers and structure design.
- Make early senior and tier-two leadership appointments, with lessons from LGR-experienced councils advocating clarity of responsibility, interim arrangements and timely announcements.
- Implement a well-coordinated TUPE and engagement plan, supported by HR, finance and legal colleagues, with accurate records and clear materials for colleagues.
- Introduce interim Day One people policies - conduct, recruitment, safeguarding, health and safety and whistleblowing - so expectations are transparent from the start.
- Sustain regular, supportive communication, with manager briefing packs and FAQs that make updates easy to share and apply.
Positive, people-centred practice helps colleagues embrace opportunities, shape shared values and feel part of a cohesive organisation. LGR-experienced councils often highlight the benefit of early cultural alignment, including engagement activities that draw together the strengths of predecessor councils and invite contributions to new ways of working.
Councillors contribute by encouraging inclusive communication and confirming workforce updates reach all parts of the organisation. In delivery, councils draw on workforce planning templates, TUPE checklists and data tools to ensure consistency across predecessor authorities and to support effective mobilisation for Day One.
Overall, when workforce priorities are clear, supportive and well-coordinated, colleagues move into the new authority with confidence, pride and a strong sense of shared purpose.
Top resources
Further reading
Lessons learnt from previous LGRs
Networks and mutual learning
Data collection
Highlighted pages
LGR Toolkit
This toolkit hub brings together resources from across the sector to help those going through local government reorganisation (LGR).
LGR: Checklist
The following checklist outlines a range of key actions that must be undertaken at each stage of the LGR process, along with links to resources that will help councils to deliver those actions.