A Blueprint for Change

ROUNDTABLE WRITE UPS

CASE FOR CHANGE AND ACTION PLAN

• The critical role of collaboration • Funding: overcoming barriers and unlocking value • Technological innovation: opportunities and challenges • The political dimension: aligning sustainability with policy • Building a shared vision for sustainable infrastructure

Discussions underscored the importance of a deeper understanding by the private sector supply chain of local government realities when attempting to push forward with longer-term and more sustainable alternatives. A number of key issues emerged, including:

The Critical Role of Collaboration A consistent theme throughout the roundtable

However, to enable this collaboration to happen, the fragmentation of the infrastructure sector must be addressed. That means breaking down silos between different sectors, aligning goals, and embracing integrated approaches to improve the levels of transparency, trust, and mutual understanding between all parties involved in contracts. “A long-term relationship with a firm like FM Conway allows us to have a more detailed conversation about what we want to achieve, and their expertise help us learn lessons that will help us to do more for less. The closer you can get to working with your partners, the more you’re going to identify shared goals and be able to achieve them. That’s the best way forward, and what seems to bring the best results.” Bridging the gap between these funding pots requires creative solutions that demonstrate the economic value of an investment and justify its cost. Collaborations between the private sector and local authorities were identified as one route help unlock this funding. By designing contracts that integrate social value metrics and innovation clauses, councils can incentivise contractors to think beyond short-term costs and focus on long-term benefits. “Long-term funding settlements allow officers the space to engage with the supply chain, and have those meaningful conversations, understand what each other wants, and find their way around it. That’s where some of these solutions emerge from. You can’t do that if you have a single year.”

discussions was the power of collaboration across the entire infrastructure delivery supply chain. Sustainability, whether in local government operations or infrastructure projects, cannot be achieved in isolation, particularly in the face of increasing pressure on available funding and the need to achieve better outcomes for less investment. This need for deep partnerships is crucial, not only between the public and private sectors but also among contractors, consultants, and suppliers. The private sector’s role in these partnerships is vital, but it requires greater alignment between commercial incentives and public sector goals, such as environmental sustainability and community benefit. This reflects a shift in perspective where contractors are seen not just as service providers but as innovation enablers. Funding remains a significant barrier to achieving sustainability in infrastructure. While innovative projects promise long-term savings, they often require large upfront investments, which can be difficult for cash strapped local governments to manage. This tension between the desire for long-term gains and the immediate financial pressures that local governments face remains a clear barrier. This is made more difficult by the division between revenue funding for ongoing expenses and capital funding for investment in infrastructure, which limits the flexibility with which councils can deploy resources, particularly when working with short-term funding settlements. Funding: Overcoming Barriers and Unlocking Value