MD3542 London Office of Technology and Innovation – grant funding and delivery of Test, Learn and Grow Regional Capability Fund

1.1.    The Test, Learn and Grow (TLG) programme is a national public-service reform programme led by the Cabinet Office. It aims to improve public services by helping UK areas to develop, test and scale innovative approaches to complex public policy challenges. 

1.2.    London is one of the original TLG programme locations. The London accelerator programme aims to identify how public services can work together in a different way, to address complex and cross-cutting challenges. It is generating learning around: 

•    innovation methods
•    implementation
•    organisational change
•    partnership working
•    people-centred approaches 
•    the conditions required to successfully adopt and embed new ways of working across organisations and systems.

1.3.    The London accelerator programme is currently focused on violence against women and girls (VAWG). The programme is led by Islington Council, working with the London Boroughs of Hackney; Haringey; Kensington and Chelsea; Kingston; and Westminster. These boroughs are testing and developing approaches to improve prevention, partnership working, and support for victims and survivors of VAWG.

1.4.    In June 2026, the Cabinet Office announced a £10 million Regional Capability Fund (RCF) to: 

•    strengthen regional capability for public-sector innovation 
•    support the spread of learning beyond individual local authorities. 
The fund aims to build the systems, leadership, skills, relationships, networks and learning infrastructure required to embed innovation, and continuous improvement, across public services.

1.5.    As a TLG programme location, London has been allocated £500,000 over two years (£250,000 per annum for 2026-27 and 2027-28) through a grant from the Cabinet Office to the GLA. 

1.6.    The RCF is separate from, and will not fund, delivery of London’s existing TLG accelerator programme. Instead, it is an opportunity to capture, transfer and embed learning from the accelerator programme across the wider London system. It will also support the development of a sustainable regional model for public-sector innovation and reform.

1.7.    The Cabinet Office has recognised LOTI’s role in supporting the spread of test-and-learn approaches and innovation practice across London and has indicated that it expects close working between the GLA, London Councils, the London Office of Technology and Innovation (LOTI) and wider public sector partners in delivering the programme. 

1.8.    LOTI was established in 2019. It helps London boroughs to use innovation, digital and data approaches to improve services and outcomes for residents. Through its networks, communities of practice and collaborative programmes, LOTI has developed significant experience in supporting innovation, capability-building and knowledge-sharing across London local government.

1.9.    It is proposed that the GLA grant funds London Councils, as host organisation for LOTI, to deliver London’s RCF programme. The programme will initially use learning from the work on VAWG, through which innovation capability, collaborative learning and implementation approaches can be tested and refined. The longer-term objective is to develop and test a London “Grow” model that identifies and embeds innovative practice across organisations, places and policy areas; and support the development of leadership capability, learning networks, practical tools and innovation infrastructure that can be applied to future public service reform challenges and devolution ambitions. 
 

2.1.    The programme aims to:

•    strengthen London’s capability for public-sector innovation and place-based reform
•    build leadership, practitioner and organisational capability in test-and-learn approaches
•    support the transfer and adaptation of effective practice across organisations, and local boundaries
•    establish sustainable collaboration, learning and innovation networks across boroughs, regional partners and other public sector organisations
•    produce practical tools and resources for future innovation and contribute to London’s learning to national policy and practise.

 
2.2.    Expected outputs include:

•    regional learning cohorts and peer networks
•    capability-building and leadership development activity
•    practical tools, playbooks and implementation resources
•    publication of open learning and emerging practice
•    a tested London “Grow” model that can be applied to future public service reform challenges, and support wider devolution ambitions.

2.3.    The programme’s legacy will be a stronger regional innovation infrastructure, which includes leadership capability, cross-organisational relationships, learning networks, and practical tools. By embedding these within existing public sector organisations, the programme aims to create lasting capability that can support future public service reform challenges beyond the life of the fund. 
 

3.1.    Under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, the Mayor must have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between people who share protected characteristics and those who do not.

3.2.    The programme is expected to have positive equality impacts. The initial challenge area focuses on VAWG, which disproportionately affects women and girls and contributes to wider inequalities across London. The programme seeks to strengthen public-sector capability to improve collaboration, learning and service design; this work may contribute to improved outcomes for affected groups.

3.3.    The fund’s principal purpose is capability-building, rather than direct service delivery. Any future projects, pilots or initiatives supported through the programme must consider equalities impacts; and undertake additional assessment, where appropriate.

Key risks 

4.1.    Key risks are as follows:
 

Governance and delivery 

4.2.    The GLA will act as the accountable body for the Cabinet Office funding and will enter into the funding arrangements with Cabinet Office. The GLA will award grant funding to London Councils, as hot organisation for LOTI to deliver the RCF programme. The GLA will provide strategic sponsorship and take responsibility for fund stewardship and programme assurance. The GLA will work with London Councils, LOTI and other partners to agree collaborative governance and operating arrangements, appropriate to each TLG Grow or wider public service reform challenge.

4.3.    LOTI will act as the regional innovation and learning partner. It will provide methods, specialist support, coordination and open learning infrastructure; and lead delivery activity including capability-building, dissemination and peer learning.

4.4.    London Councils will provide strategic borough engagement; and support alignment with wider public-service reform and devolution priorities.

4.5.    LOTI will act as the regional innovation and learning partner. It will provide methods, specialist support, coordination and open learning infrastructure; and lead delivery activity including capability-building, dissemination and peer learning.

4.6.    The programme will build on learning generated through London’s existing TLG accelerator programme. The six participating boroughs will create an initial learning environment; through this, emerging learning, implementation insights and innovation approaches can be tested, refined and shared. The RCF will support the transfer and adaptation of this learning across London, rather than funding delivery of the accelerator itself.

Links to Mayoral Strategies and Priorities

4.7.    The proposal supports:

•    the Mayoral programme ‘reducing violence and exploitation’ through tackling violence against women and girls, contributing to the Government’s national mission to halve VAWG in the next decade (Mayor’s Police and Crime Plan 2025-2029) 
•    building stronger partnerships to deliver change together (London Missions Principle) 
•    continuous learning with people empowered to test new ideas and learn from what’s gone before (London Missions Principle) 
•    big picture thinking that takes a whole-system view of our city (London Missions Principle).

Consultation

4.7.    Development of the proposal has involved collaboration between the GLA, London Councils, LOTI, London boroughs and the Cabinet Office through the TLG programme.

Data protection

4.8.    The decision itself does not give rise to any direct data protection implications. Should any future activities involve processing personal data, appropriate governance arrangements and Data Protection Impact Assessments will be undertaken, where required.

Conflicts of interest

4.9.    There are no conflicts of interest to declare from officers involved in drafting or clearance of this decision form. 

5.1.    Approval is sought to:

•    receive £500,000 of TLG RCF grant funding from the Cabinet Office between 2026-27 and 2027-28 
•    forward-grant the above to London Councils, as host organisation for LOTI, to deliver years one and two of London’s TLG RCF programme; this is broken down as follows:

o    £250,000 in 2026-27 
o    £250,000 in 2027-28.

5.2.    This will be managed through the Communities and Skills Directorate budget.
 

6.1.    The foregoing sections of this report indicate that:

•    the proposals in respect of which the Mayor’s approval is sought fall within the exercise of the GLA’s general powers, as they may be considered facilitative of, and conducive to, the promotion of economic development and wealth creation in Greater London

•    in formulating the proposals in respect of which a decision is sought, officers have complied with the GLA’s statutory duties to:

o    pay due regard to the principle that there should be equality of opportunity for all people
o    consider how the proposals will promote the health of persons, health inequalities between persons and to contribute towards achievement of sustainable development in the UK
o    consult with appropriate benefits. 

6.2.    In taking decisions requested, the Mayor must have due respect to the Public Sector Equality Duty, namely, the need to eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010; and to advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations, between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic (race, disability, sex, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief, pregnancy and maternity, and gender reassignment) and persons who do not share it (section 149 of the Equality Act 2010). To end this, the Mayor should have particular regard to Section 3 (above) of this report. 

6.3.    Sections 1 and 2 above indicate that the proposed contribution of funding amounts to the provision of grant funding, and not payment for works, supplies or services. If the Mayor provides the approvals sought, officers must ensure that:

•    they are content that the GLA can comply with any conditions of the Cabinet Office funding, and do not place any reliance upon that funding until a legally binding commitment to that funding is secured
•    The funding is distributed fairly, transparently, in accordance with the GLA’s equalities objectives, and in manner that affords value for money, in accordance with the Contracts and Funding Code
•    an appropriate funding agreement is put in place between, and executed by, the GLA and London Councils before any commitment to fund is made. 
 

7.1.    The planned delivery approach is shown in the table below: