Putting place at the heart of public service reform
Every public pound spent locally should work towards the same goal: better outcomes for residents, greater collaboration and multiplied impact.
Yet, too often, public services plan, commission and spend in isolation, with organisations focusing on their own responsibilities rather than the needs of the communities they collectively serve.
Total Place starts with a simple but important question: what if public resources were viewed through the lens of place rather than institutions?
For more than a decade, the idea of Total Place has shaped conversations about public service reform. Today, with rising demand, constrained finances and increasing expectations from residents, its relevance has never been greater.
The LGA’s new Total Place Handbook provides a practical framework for local leaders looking to improve outcomes through collaboration, prevention and place-based leadership.
By understanding how resources are used across a local area – by the NHS, police, voluntary organisations, councils and other partners – organisations can make better decisions, improve outcomes and reduce long-term costs.
Total Place is not just about integration, but about strengthening locally accountable leadership over public spending and outcomes.
The timing is significant. Public services are under sustained pressure, while demand for support continues to rise. Incremental improvement alone is unlikely to meet these challenges. Instead, we need a stronger focus on prevention, tackling the root causes of demand, rather than repeatedly responding to crises.
Launched in July at the LGA’s annual conference, the handbook draws on the experience of more than 120 leaders from across the public sector and beyond.
It arrives as national policy increasingly embraces place-based approaches, particularly through discussions around budget pooling, devolution and public service integration.
The emergence of strategic authorities, local government reorganisation and place-based budget pilots creates an opportunity for Total Place to move from aspiration to mainstream practice.
The handbook provides a practical framework for action, helping local areas build a shared understanding of challenges, map spending and outcomes, engage communities, co-design solutions and test new ways of working.
Importantly, it recognises that there is no single model for success; every place must adapt these principles to its own circumstances.
A recurring theme is the importance of viewing public spending as a shared resource. Too often, organisations optimise their own budgets while costs and demand simply shift elsewhere in the system.
The Total Place approach is particularly valuable for people with complex needs who interact with multiple services. Someone experiencing poor mental health, housing instability and unemployment may be supported by several agencies at once. By coordinating support around the individual, organisations can reduce duplication, intervene earlier, lower costs and improve residents’ quality of life.
Importantly, Total Place is not primarily about structures; it is about relationships, leadership and culture. Success depends on organisations working across boundaries, sharing ownership of outcomes and building trust around common goals.
As devolution and local government reform continue to reshape public services, councils have a vital role as convenors of place, bringing together partners and communities to address complex challenges.
The challenge now is not whether we understand the principles of Total Place, but whether we are prepared to put them into practice. At a time of significant reform and financial pressure, there has never been a greater opportunity – or need – to think and act collectively.
- The Total Place Handbook can be downloaded for free on the LGA website.