Participants came together to explore the barriers and “unspoken concerns” around collaboration in local government, using the Stinky Fish methodology to surface both practical challenges and hidden anxieties. All participants recognised the urgency:

  • Digital change cannot be delivered in isolation.

  • Councils are often solving the same problems in parallel, risking duplication.

  • Better collaboration is essential to reduce the postcode lottery of services.

Key Insights

Part One: Practical Barriers

The group identified tangible challenges based on past experiences:

  • Time & Capacity – Teams are already stretched, with collaboration seen as a drain on scarce resources.

  • Funding – Tight budgets restrict collaboration, with cost-sharing between LAs adding complexity.

  • People & Trust – Staff turnover, differing skill levels, and lack of shared language slow relationship building and make collaboration fragile.

  • Priorities & Timelines – Councils’ roadmaps and deadlines rarely align, making joint delivery difficult.

  • Systems & Technology – Divergent tech stacks and hidden system differences hinder coordinated design and implementation.

  • Politics & Short-Termism – Leadership instability, cost-saving pressures, and inconsistent policies block long-term collaborative investment.

  • Visibility & Siloes – Councils lack awareness of each other’s work-in-progress, roadmaps, or successes.

  • Leadership Buy-In – Concerns about legal, financial, and supplier risks lead to reluctance in adopting collaborative practices.

Part Two: Hidden Concerns & Anxieties

The methodology surfaced underlying fears and uncertainties:

  • Structural Uncertainty – Reorganisation and devolution create hesitation: should councils pause or start from scratch?

  • Knowledge Fragility – Projects often rely on a single person; turnover results in knowledge loss.

  • Digital Skills Gaps – Inconsistent training creates uneven capabilities across councils.

  • Tech Debt & Legacy Systems – Resources are consumed by maintaining outdated systems, leaving little room for innovation.

  • Fear of Risk – Councils worry about “breaking something” or wasting limited funds, leading to inertia.

  • Hype vs. Foundations – Focus on emerging tech (e.g., AI) overshadows the need to strengthen core IT infrastructure.

  • Short-Term Horizons – Political and financial uncertainty push councils to address immediate problems rather than long-term planning.

  • Lack of Shared Knowledge Spaces – No up-to-date marketplace or library of projects, data, or tools.

Emerging Opportunities / Quick Wins

Despite the barriers, participants identified immediate, pragmatic steps to support collaboration:

  1. Build Stronger Networks – Expand use of LocalGov Slack, peer-support groups, and shared org charts to connect people.

  2. Centralise Building Blocks – Develop shared training, frameworks, and process maps to standardise practice across councils.

  3. Open Sharing – Publish roadmaps, datasets, and project libraries to avoid duplication.

  4. Leadership Commitment – Encourage leaders to adopt new ways of working, model collaborative behaviours, and support experimentation.

  5. Protected Resources – Ringfence multi-year budgets for collaborative initiatives, ensuring continuity beyond political cycles.

Conclusion

The workshop confirmed that while the barriers to local government collaboration are real and multifaceted, there is strong recognition of the need to act. Success requires:

  • Visible leadership commitment,

  • Structures that reduce duplication and risk,

  • Shared platforms for knowledge and resources,

  • And a cultural shift towards trust, openness, and long-term thinking.

By addressing both the practical obstacles and the underlying anxieties, councils can unlock the collective potential needed to deliver better, more consistent services for communities.