The next few years could see unprecedented investment in local places through initiatives such as Great British Energy, the Local Power Plan and wider net zero programmes. These could support new community-owned energy projects, accelerate place-based decarbonisation and help local authorities and communities play a more active role in shaping our future energy system.

But local energy action rarely takes off with projects alone – lasting success relies on strong partnerships between local authorities and community energy groups. The Local Authority Partnership Readiness Programme has been designed to help local authorities and community energy organisations understand and strengthen these foundations in time to capitalise on future opportunities as they emerge.

The programme is funded by the South West Net Zero Hub and the National Lottery Community Fund through the Energy Learning Network, a partnership between climate solutions charity Ashden, the Centre for Sustainable Energy, and leading community energy bodies in every UK nation: Community Energy England, Community Energy Scotland, Community Energy Wales and Northern Ireland’s Action Renewables. 

Understanding readiness

Working alongside the South West Net Zero Hub, the programme will engage with seven local authority areas across the South West. It will aim to better understand current levels of partnership readiness and identify where targeted support can create the greatest value.

Building on previous work undertaken in the Greater South East Net Zero Hub region alongside CAG consultants, the programme uses an emerging Local Energy Partnership Foundations Lens to help local authorities and community energy organisations reflect on the conditions needed for successful local energy action. The lens explores five connected themes, which provide a practical framework for identifying strengths and understanding where additional support may be needed.

This will also create a baseline of partnership readiness across the South West, helping to identify common barriers and opportunities across the region.

Targeted support

Three of the areas will then be selected to receive more intensive support through a tailored programme of partnership development and local energy action planning. Support may include:

• Stakeholder engagement.
• Project and pipeline development.
• Governance and delivery support.
• Access to specialist expertise through Community Energy GO.
• Peer learning opportunities that connect ideas and experience across all seven participating areas.

The focus is not simply on securing funding for the areas, but on helping local authorities and community energy organisations build the relationships, confidence and delivery conditions needed to respond effectively as future opportunities emerge.

Why targeted support matters

While some local authorities across the South West already have productive community energy relationships, growing project pipelines and a strong track record of partnership working, others are only beginning to explore what collaboration with community energy could look like in their area.

Levels of capacity, confidence and partnership maturity vary considerably across the region, and without targeted support, future opportunities may disproportionately benefit the places that are already best placed to participate.

Building on existing expertise

The programme builds on several years of work by CSE and partners supporting local authorities, community energy organisations and regional actors.

This includes:

• The Strengthening the Foundations for Local Energy Action toolkit, developed through the South West Local Area Energy Planning programme.
• Previous work exploring collaboration between local authorities and community energy organisations.
• The Local Authority and Community Energy Collaboration Assessment developed with CAG Consultants.
• Practical guidance on community energy governance.
• Community Energy GO.
• Place-based engagement approaches such as Future Energy Landscapes.

Beyond grant readiness

Whilst the programme has been developed in response to emerging opportunities associated with Great British Energy and the Local Power Plan, its ambition is broader than helping local authorities access future funding opportunities.

The programme seeks to strengthen local capability and partnership development across the South West, while generating wider learnings about what’s needed for successful local energy action and where future support can have the greatest impact.