Co-production was once heralded as a transformative approach for public services, empowering communities to help shape the services they use. However, over two decades after its rise, the co-production model has remained largely static, despite significant changes in the political and economic landscape. At Inclusion Unlimited, we believe these outdated models not only fail to achieve their intended goals but also hinder trust-building by creating unrealistic expectations and excluding diverse voices. It is time for local authorities to adopt a more pragmatic approach that bridges the gap between theory and practice.

The Inclusive Impact model: A practical solution

Today's public sector operates under tight constraints, grappling with austerity, increasing regulation, and heightened scrutiny. Local authorities must meet legal and regulatory obligations, which limit their ability to start co-production from a "blank slate." Yet, many traditional models still idealise equal power-sharing and an entirely fresh start for every project. These frameworks set unachievable standards, leaving both communities and councils frustrated.

Co-production should not demand equal power-sharing or beginning every process anew. Instead, the focus should be on transparency, ensuring that citizens understand the constraints and decision-making powers held by public bodies. Co-production is about tapping into untapped and undervalued knowledge, experience and expertise and recognising its true value; it is not about saying everyone is the same and can, or should be responsible for, doing the same things. Honest and transparency about this context is crucial for effective co-production.

A flexible and accessible approach

To truly value diverse voices, local councils need a more flexible and inclusive approach to engagement. Rigid, inaccessible mechanisms for participation often exclude underrepresented groups. Instead, councils should explore varied forms of engagement and peer-led projects, ensuring that a broader range of voices is heard and actively involved. We must move beyond tokenistic and inaccessible engagement mechanisms and create genuine opportunities for meaningful contributions from a wider array of stakeholders.

Moving beyond the process: Focus on impact

Another key shortcoming of traditional co-production models, such as the "Ladder of Co-production," is their focus on process over outcomes. Too often, the emphasis is on ticking boxes - hosting a specified number of consultations or publicising the recruitment of a certain number of "experts by experience"- without considering whether these efforts lead to meaningful change. At Inclusion Unlimited, we argue that success should be measured by the tangible improvements generated from co-production.

In a project regarding service changes for an inpatient facility, we overcame challenges such as complex resident needs, legal challenges, and fractured stakeholder relationships. We were not bogged-down in participation mechanisms or involvement quotas. Instead, we prioritised transparency, inclusion, and were outcome focused. In this way, we rebuilt trust, and facilitated progressive, collaboratively agreed changes in personalised patient care.

Our Inclusive Impact Model demonstrates that by prioritising measurable improvements in service delivery, local authorities can ensure co-production is not just a box-ticking exercise, but a tool for real, lasting change.

A call to action

As local authorities across the UK face increasing pressure, it is clear that traditional co-production models no longer meet the needs of today's public sector. Clinging to outdated frameworks wastes valuable resources and creates barriers to meaningful progress. The Inclusive Impact Model offers a way forward—one that embraces diversity, delivers tangible outcomes, and ensures that co-production becomes a tool for inclusive and impactful change.

Now is the time for local authorities, commissioners, and policymakers to rethink their approach to co-production. By adopting a more flexible, impact-driven model, we can build more effective public services that genuinely reflect and benefit the communities they serve.

To find out more about the Inclusive Impact Model, contact Briony Banks at briony@inclusionunlimited.org.uk

 

Caroline Collier is CEO, Rebecca Sare is director and Briony Banks is peer co-production and engagement lead at community interest company  Inclusion Unlimited