Council Estates Under Pressure: what we learned from our latest local government webinar
On 22 September, we brought together experts from across local government and policy to discuss a question that is becoming increasingly important: are councils really in control of their estates?
The webinar explored facilities management and utilities consumption and spend across the varied and complex estates of UK local government, drawing on research we carried out in August 2025 and our analysis of spend, consumption and trends since our previous report in 2023.
Bringing different perspectives to the discussion
Our Founder and Principal, David Parrett, was joined by Jonathan Werran, Chief Executive of Localis, and Natalie Palmer, Chief Executive of Elev8 Fire Engineering and former Chief Operating Officer at Wakefield Council.
The session was chaired by William Eichler, Editor of LocalGov.
Each brought a different perspective to the conversation.
Jonathan provided context around the current policy landscape, including recent developments in Local Government Reorganisation and the implications for local authorities.
Natalie brought the discussion back to the realities councils face at a local level, relating the findings of our research to practical examples and the challenges of managing complex estates.
The data problem
One issue came through particularly strongly during the discussion: data.
It is not simply that information is missing. The consistency with which property and facilities management data is collected, held and maintained also varies.
That creates a significant challenge.
Without a clear and reliable picture of their estates, how can councils confidently make long-term decisions about which buildings they need, how those buildings are performing and where resources should be directed?
Good estate strategy depends upon good information.
What does Local Government Reorganisation mean for property?
Local Government Reorganisation adds another layer of complexity.
The drive to create efficiencies across local government is understandable, but property and facilities management cannot become an afterthought within that process.
Changes to authority structures can mean bringing together different property portfolios, systems, contracts and approaches to data management.
Understanding those assets – what they are, where they are, how they are performing and whether they are still required – therefore becomes increasingly important.
Council buildings are about more than property
Another important point raised during the discussion was that local authority estates are not simply collections of buildings or lines on a balance sheet.
They are places where people work, where communities access services and where residents interact with their local authority.
Commercial and operational considerations therefore have to sit alongside the role councils play in supporting the communities they serve.
The visibility of local authorities within their communities and people’s experience of accessing council services are an important part of the estate conversation.
Where do we go from here?
Our discussion highlighted the case for greater consistency in the way estate data is collected and maintained across local government, as well as the potential role central government could play in supporting that consistency.
Because the consequences of getting this wrong are significant.
Councils that do not fully understand their property portfolios – what they have, where it is, what it costs and whether it is needed – can face commercial, operational and compliance risks.
For us, the webinar reinforced the importance of bringing property and facilities management data into the wider strategic conversation about the future of local government.
Continuing the conversation
The conversation doesn’t end with the webinar.
David will shortly be sitting down with LocalGov Editor William Eichler for a recorded interview to explore the findings further and look more closely at what they could mean for local authorities and their estates.
We’ll share the interview here and across our social channels once it is available.
In the meantime, you can download our Are councils in control of their estates? The findings from the 2024/25 FM & Utilities Benchmarking Report here.
If you would like to discuss the findings, your own estate data or the challenges facing your organisation, please get in touch with us or contact David directly at david.parrett@cadaema.com.