The Solace/IS Transformation programme is supporting all councils in Scotland to work together towards a blueprint for the council of the future.
It is an ambitious programme of reform led by Solace Scotland and supported by the Improvement Service.
In October 2022, Delivering a Future for Scottish Local Authorities was published. The report described the challenges facing local government and explained how councils could build on current successes, while working more closely with partners to improve outcomes for communities.
The paper identifies six anchors (below) as key building blocks for transformation.
The six anchors provided the starting point for the transformation programme. Since early 2024, volunteers from across local government have been contributing to a series of projects designed to build capacity and test new ideas, all aimed at strengthening collective transformation efforts across these six areas.
Three workstreams have evolved, with Chief Executive sponsors guiding the activity of projects that seek to build, develop or test new ideas.
- Workstream 1: Officer-led conversation on public sector reform
- Workstream 2: Short-term local government transformation projects
- Workstream 3: Building capacity to lead and deliver transformation – including the Leadership Practitioner Forum
You can find more information about each of these on our website and if you want to get involved, please email transformation@improvementservice.org.uk
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Sign up for the Solace/IS Transformation Programme Newsletter
Keep up to date with news and events from the Solace/IS Transformation Programme.
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Read previous issues of the Solace/IS Transformation Programme Newsletter
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Delivering a future for Scottish local authorities: the challenges they face, the questions that need asking and a model for the future
This paper proposes a new approach for the future operating model of Scottish local authorities. The paper outlines the context that local government is delivering within, the challenges and opportunities it faces and how councils might transition to a model of service delivery that builds on current success but more deliberately supports effective partnerships to improve outcomes for communities.
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Solace programme progress report April 2026