Our cohort’s journey includes a range of activities, from Challenge Scoping webinars to Stakeholder Engagement workshops, each marking a significant step towards integrating innovation into council practices. These initiatives go beyond mere planning; they signify a collective dedication to pushing the limits of what’s achievable.

The Welcome Day served as an invaluable opportunity to set the stage for collaboration, define our collective vision, and lay the groundwork for transformative change in procurement practices. We look forward to the journey ahead, as we work together to drive innovation and enhance the effectiveness of local government operations.

Rikesh Shah, Head of IPEC

The Stakeholder Relationships workshop, led by Nick Talbot, provided a quick overview of the attitudes required to improve relations and focused support for Local Authorities given their unique organisational structures. The session highlighted that all procurements are multi-stakeholder activities, particularly innovation procurements, and revealed a lack of training dedicated to internal relationships within local authorities. Activities included listing all internal stakeholders and using templates to improve understanding and empathy towards key stakeholders. Councils left inspired to improve internal relationships immediately and commit to developing innovation procurement allies over the long term.

The Challenge Scoping and Definition session by Trusha Oza, supported by Nick Talbot and George Wardell, offered an overview of the challenge scoping process, sharing different stages, methodologies, and best practices. Councils engaged in system mapping to understand the root causes of their challenges and co-created “how might we” statements to draft actionable challenge statements. This process helped councils gain a deeper understanding of their challenges and identify areas for intervention, leading to early drafts of their statements that included practical insights and solutions.

Moreover, the “Art of the Possible” session by Rikesh Shah and Helen Tryphonides, provided invaluable insights into procurement tools that help attract innovative suppliers of all sizes and build new growth hubs. The session emphasised the importance of flexibility and adaptability in procurement practices to accommodate the diverse needs of suppliers, ultimately driving growth and competitiveness.

What distinguishes this journey is the ethos of collaboration and mutual learning that suffuses every exchange. Within our Cohort, councils don’t merely acquire knowledge from experts; they actively engage with one another, exchanging insights, tackling challenges, and celebrating successes together. It’s this communal knowledge pool that drives our progress, turning obstacles into opportunities and aspirations into accomplishments.

The day was incredibly inspirational, and the benefit of this engagement has the potential to go beyond our initial challenge idea and empower us to embed these principles to solve problems across the city.

Westminster City Council

As we start this journey, the possibilities for positive change are endless. Whether it’s transforming service delivery or boosting economic growth, our path is driven by creativity, determination, and a commitment to innovation. With every milestone, we move closer to a future where innovation is ingrained in our governance, not just an idea.