Truth about Local Government · 2026-04-27 · 21 min
In this episode of The Truth About Local Government , Matt Masters is joined by Simon Higgins to explore why local government must focus on prevention , and why corporate services have a critical and often underestimated, role to play in making prevention succeed . While prevention is often associated with frontline services, Simon and Matt argue that sustainable, effective prevention only works when it is led, enabled and protected by corporate leadership . Drawing on Simon’s experience of preventative work at Cumberland , the discussion examines how corporate services such as finance, HR, policy, commissioning and data can either unlock or unintentionally undermine preventative approaches. The conversation explores why too many councils intervene only when people reach crisis point - when outcomes are worse, costs are higher and options are limited - and why shifting upstream is essential for supporting communities, managing demand and protecting public services.
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