Mission Critical: (RE)Building Trust

A session focused on why public trust in local authorities and business has eroded and how organisations across sectors can rebuild it through collaboration, transparency, and authentic community engagement.

Panel:
Chair: Chelsie Riley, Senior Social Impact Adviser, Business in the Community
Marnie Freeman, Co-Founder & Director, Neighbourly Lab
Liz Byrne, Founder - Believe Solutions, Believe Solutions
Steve Butterworth, CEO, Neighbourly
Fiona McCully, Social Value Impact Lead, Social Value Portal
Sarah Armstrong, Head of Procurement, Sales and Business Services, Durham County Council

The challenge
With only 16 percent of citizens trusting local authorities and developers to act in the public interest, the panel examined how to restore credibility and connection between institutions and communities. The question: What practical changes can transform transactional relationships into trusted partnerships?

Stats to remember
Only 16 percent of citizens trust local authorities and developers – up from 2 percent in 2019.
Durham County Council has generated £1 billion in verified Social Value since 2021.

Key themes and insights
Speakers emphasised long-term, visible commitment to communities, building mutual benefit rather than fulfilling compliance metrics.
Spaces for connection are key – investing in everyday meeting places that foster relationships.
Storytelling and human-centred communication are critical for effectively showing impact.
Aligning procurement and engagement frameworks around inclusion and dignity.

“We have to focus on the things that are strong, not the things that are wrong.”

Next steps from the experts
Embed community co-design in all procurement and planning processes.
Fund and maintain shared community spaces for regular engagement.
Provide training in trauma-informed storytelling for ethical impact reporting.
Reframe procurement success as relationship strength, not contract value.