The Local Power in Action (LPIA) programme was set up in 2022 to support our members' deliver real progress towards their climate goals, in the absence of the necessary local powers and resources coming down from a national level. The programme helped to plug this gap, and enable local climate leaders to make the most of all the existing available tools and solutions available to deliver meaningful change initiatives. Additionally, by demonstrating the political determination and readiness of our members LPIA has helped to build the case for greater national support. 

The programme is currently on hold but subject to funding we are keen to bring it back in some format to support even more members look beyond targets and deliver.

Aim

The aim of Local Power in Action was:

1. Enable local authorities to implement ambitious net zero projects by overcoming the organisational, political and engagement challenges they face
2. Identify opportunities for national policy change to accelerate local climate progress
3. Highlight replicable, scalable climate projects and policies and disseminate these with the wider UK100 membership

How did it work 

Local Power in Action ran for two years and directly supported two cohorts of our members including Calderdale Council, Somerset Council, Gloucestershire County Council, Oxford City Council, Leicester City Council, London Borough of Hackney and West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

Over the course of the 9 months programme, all participating councils received support from a UK100 consultant who were specifically selected based on their expertise and skillset to support the council to deliver progress against a specified local net zero challenge. Support was provided to overcome predominantly  non-technical challenges such as political, organisational and engagement challenges.

Through the course of the projects the pathfinders captured insights and best practices which UK100 has subsequently shared with other members and used to inform our advocacy and research programmes.

What was achieved 

Local Power in Action has made a significant contribution to the climate journey of the participating councils and in many instances have led to meaningful local change. Many lessons have been learnt along the way which have been carefully developed into lunchtime learning webinars, toolkits, blogs and case studies. Some of the best examples of LPIA in practice are:

Calderdale:  Pioneering Local Influence for National Climate Impact 

Faced with the limits of its direct powers, Calderdale Council set out to create the UK’s first local authority Influencing Strategy, aiming to shape wider regional and national climate action. Building on its existing Climate Action Plan, the council identified key stakeholders it needed to influence and prioritised areas of focus for greater impact. With guidance from pathfinder Kate Chappell and in collaboration with the Calderdale Climate Action Partnership, the council refined three core advocacy 'asks' through a series of workshops. These formed the foundation of a high-profile advocacy event in November 2024, supported by UK100, and attended by major stakeholders including the Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin. The outcome was not just increased political traction for Calderdale’s climate goals, but also a replicable framework which UK100 has subsequently developed into its Influencing Toolkit.

Somerset Council: Tackling Barriers to a Low-Carbon Energy Future

Following the launch of its Energy Investment Plan in 2023, Somerset Council identified several critical barriers to delivery—including limited planning committee capacity, local objections to renewable projects, grid constraints, and financing challenges. To address these, the council launched a multifaceted effort to strengthen preparedness for the region’s low-carbon energy transition. Through a series of workshops with planning committee members, Somerset Council were supported to develop an energy factsheet containing evidence-based responses to over 100 common objections. You can read about how this has contributed to the local decision making on renewables and low carbon development projects here. In parallel, Somerset Council worked with other south west councils to influence the design of the Regional Energy System Plan in the region, securing a more appropriate and strategic framework. These actions have helped prepare Somerset Council for the energy transitions but also provided valuable insights and resources for other councils to accelerate change themselves. 

Gloucestershire Councils: A United Approach to Net Zero Transport

To address the significant climate impact of local transport, responsible for 34% of the county’s CO₂ emissions, Gloucestershire County Council and all six district councils united to create a bold region-wide strategy for Net Zero transport. Aiming for an 80% reduction in transport emissions by 2030, the councils developed a shared action plan targeting a 7.5% reduction in both trip numbers and distances, a 2.5% rise in ride-sharing, a 300% increase in active travel, a doubling of public transport use, and accelerated electric vehicle adoption. With support from UK100, this collaborative approach ensured alignment across local plans and policies. A key outcome was the integration of sustainable transport into new housing developments, designed to enable low-carbon, self-sufficient communities. The result was not only a unified regional vision but a practical framework to shift travel behaviours and accelerate the transition to cleaner, more accessible transport across Gloucestershire. You can learn more about it here. 

What our partner councils have said 

“It has been a privilege to be able to access this support… Planning committees are under huge pressure, and many have very little planning experience. Many development (energy) projects are very well funded and misleading and there is a significant need for more planning skills for councillors to deal with this” (Cllr Ros Wyke, Associate Lead Member for Active Travel and Public Transport, Somerset Council)

“UK100 gave us the confidence to have some of those difficult discussions in different forums which has culminated with the influencing asks” (Cllr Scott Patient, Deputy Leader, Cabinet Member, Climate Action and Housing, Calderdale Council)

‍“Local Power in Action has provided Oxfordshire County Council and Oxford City Council with a sustained programme of consultancy, advice and support around delivering our ambitious zero-carbon transport plans. The knowledge and expertise of our pathfinder consultant has been of real benefit in helping us anticipate and address challenges and align stakeholders behind the schemes.” (Susannah Wintersgill, Director of Communications, Strategy and Insight, Oxfordshire County Council)

‍“UK100’s Local Power in Action pathfinder provided high-quality political analysis, supported and influenced effective decision making, and added rigour and confidence during the period we were engaged…It has also become clear that there has been a strong legacy from the programme, particularly in the way directors and politicians appreciate and articulate one and others’ perspectives and challenges.” (Cllr Adam Clarke, Former Deputy Mayor, Leicester City Council)

Resources 

• LPIA 2024 Lessons learnt 
• Influencing Toolkit
• Energy infrastructure Mythbusting factsheet 
• Somerset Council case study on Energy infrastructure Mythbusting workshop process and factsheet development 
• Regional energy planning blog 
• Workplace Parking Levy toolkit - Developed following our partnership with Leicester City Council