The UK is facing a devastating housing crisis with over 172,000 children in temporary accommodation. ACES leaders Alan Richards and Melvyn Stone propose a radical new "Affordable Housing Model" to bypass viability delays and accelerate the delivery of social rent homes.

The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill promises to hand communities a new right to buy local assets, from empty pubs to shops. While the aim is to stimulate local pride and tackle high street decline, the policy echoes the "Community Right to Bid" introduced in 2011—a process that proved cumbersome and rarely successful. For this new initiative to be transformative rather than just a "well-meaning echo," the government must provide the funding and technical sup

While councils have long established centralized procurement, contract management remains largely devolved. Natalia Silver explores the changing landscape, the impact of the Procurement Act, and how the Contract Management Pioneer Programme (CMPP) is driving value and culture change across local authorities.

Local Government Reform often focuses on finance and staffing, but sidelining property professionals early on is a critical mistake. Discover why property experts are the foundational strategic partners needed to turn ambitious unitary authority plans into realistic, financially sound realities.

The long-standing approach to local authority asset revaluation is facing its biggest shift in years. As CIPFA/LASAAC moves from viewing indices as optional tools to making indexation effectively mandatory, valuers and accountants must now navigate new requirements for quinquennial cycles, desktop revaluations, and the challenges of selecting appropriate indices.

With over 500 PFI contracts set to expire by 2050, local authority surveyors face a critical window for managing asset handback. Learn why planning must begin seven years in advance and how comprehensive condition surveys protect the public sector from significant financial and operational risks.

With a pledge to deliver 1.5 million new homes, the Labour government is moving to "oil the wheels" of the planning system. But can planning reform alone solve the deep-rooted imbalance between rising build costs and the need for affordable housing?.

Councils are facing a "crowded list of priorities" as they balance severe funding pressures with national mandates for housing and net zero. This summary of the 2026 "Unlocking the Public Estate" report explores practical steps for local authorities to transform their portfolios despite limited capacity and data gaps.

Drawing from 16 years of experience at Cornwall Council, Adam Birchall explores the complexities of asset transfer during Local Government Reorganisation (LGR). He challenges the idea of simply "speeding up" devolution, advocating instead for a mutual, two-way process of trust that aligns property assets with community needs.

The landscape of local government in England is undergoing its most ambitious reorganization in over 30 years. With the introduction of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, new Strategic Authorities are set to gain autonomy over planning, transport, and housing. Through case studies in Hartlepool and Stockport, we examine whether these new powers and funding structures can truly accelerate urban regeneration and solve regional disparities.

Explore the evolving landscape of Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) and natural capital from a local government perspective. This article outlines legal structures, the shift toward conservation covenants, and the unique opportunities for local authorities in habitat restoration and nutrient neutrality.

Council spending on temporary accommodation has soared to £2.8bn annually, leaving many local authorities under immense financial strain. Kim Grievson and Hannah Velani explore the human and economic costs of this crisis and highlight innovative modular and "eco pod" solutions being pioneered across the UK.

ACES members gathered at the historic Guildhall in Bath for the 2025 National Conference, exploring how local authorities can unlock the full potential of public land while navigating the challenges of biodiversity net gain and local government reform. Expert speakers and panel discussions highlighted innovation, collaboration, and the crucial role of property professionals in shaping a more sustainable, resilient public estate.

Dr Steven Norris, Executive Director at Lambert Smith Hampton (LSH), summarises the findings of the 6th annual LSH/Revo survey, which confirms that successful town centre revitalization must look "beyond retail." The top initiative identified by respondents is the provision of new mixed-tenure homes (for the first time), followed by repurposing vacant retail space. The report also shows strong support for devolution and consistently ranks joint ventures/public-private partner

Adam Birchall, who led property matters during Cornwall's move to a Unitary system in 2009, shares the subsequent 16 years of integration and lessons learned, framed through 10 property assets. His key takeaways for councils undergoing LGR are that the transition day is "barely the first quarter mile" and the critical importance of "Learning to devolve and let go" —transferring assets like parks and libraries to capable local bodies, viewing property not as a spreadsheet entr

An anonymous "insider" explores the government’s dual plan for devolution and Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) in England, which aims to create new Mayoral Authorities and Unitary Councils. The article focuses on the critical, practical impact these changes have on property professionals, detailing key challenges like property asset transfer, system updates, and preparing for the Structural Change Order.

Victoria Yeandle, a Chartered Town Planner, explores the paradox between the government's ambitious 1.5 million homes target and the disruption caused by local government reorganisation. While long-term benefits like pooled resources are possible, the short-term reality is that merging councils may abandon local plans and destabilise decision-making, likely delaying rather than expediting the planning process.

Richard Allen, a former ACES President, questions whether Community Asset Transfer (CAT) is a policy "inherently destined to fail," given the struggles of high-profile cases like the Lenton Centre and St Ann’s Allotments in Nottingham. He argues that while CAT is vital for community empowerment, success hinges on robust local authority support, long-term leases, and addressing the growing challenge of volunteer shortages in community groups.

Brian Thompson and Peter Beer detail the experience of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) as one of five locations awarded funding for the innovative Place Pilot Programme in 2022. Designed as a test bed for scalable collaborative asset management beyond routine One Public Estate (OPE) projects, the programme successfully fostered regional collaboration, updated key documents like the Public Land Charter, and unlocked novel projects, proving the power of a regional,

Guy Brett of Watling Consulting compares a 1999 government study with a 2025 pulse survey, finding that despite a decisive shift toward corporate control of assets, the lack of decision-grade data and constrained capacity are severely hindering progress in unlocking the public estate. He provides six effective changes councils can make this year, emphasizing a shift from site-by-site to programmed phasing and service-led pipelines to manage mounting pressures like LGR and dec