Cabinet Office confirms £100m innovation squads for ten local areas
Cabinet Office has announced that ten communities across England will receive ‘innovation squads’ as part of a £100m ‘Test, Learn and Grow’ reform programme to deliver the Plan for Change. The squads—made up of policy officials, tech specialists and other experts—will work with local government and service users to test new ways of addressing local challenges. These include increasing uptake of Best Start Family Hubs, establishing neighbourhood health services, supporting children with special needs, improving employment access, expanding breakfast clubs and tackling violence against women and girls. The programme aims to move away from a ‘Whitehall knows best’ approach by trialling solutions directly in communities. Previous pilots in Sheffield and Liverpool led to increased family hub use and the development of a data-led platform for managing temporary accommodation. The next phase is set to involve Barnsley, Wakefield, Manchester, Liverpool, Sandwell, Northumberland, Essex, Plymouth and Nottingham, with London boroughs to be confirmed.