A long list of "asks" emerged from the interviews and surveys but there was a clear consensus on the need for local authorities and networks to work together as partners.

Asked "where does your authority most require support from energy networks?", there was an array of answers, with the top three being funding (83%), advice on developing a local area energy plan (74%), and network data (71%).

Making staff available (51%) and upskilling local authority staff (49%) also scored highly. There was a strong suggestion that seconding staff from networks into local authorities could be a good solution.

However, the feeling that networks themselves would be best placed to take on the task of developing a LAEP was also expressed given their skills and the fact that they have the necessary data. “Even if it was funded, I don't necessarily think local government is the best place to develop it. I think it makes more sense to be done at a network level. Regionally, the DNOs should take the lead, or possibly the net zero hubs,” says one council officer.

Better communication was another frequent ask, with interviewees expressing frustration that teams within networks are not very joined up in the way they operate. Interviewees cited examples of having conversations about LAEPs, only then to be told by the connections team that there is no capacity available for upgrades. Given how critical local authorities are to delivering net zero, and on such tight resources, some would like to see local authorities being bumped to the front of the connections queue.

One interview complained: “We had to bring in expensive consultants to submit a connection request. The consultant ended up making a mistake, so we wasted three months waiting for a response and now we have to submit the request again, which now means it's going to be other four months.

“We then have to go through all the process with the DNO until they assign someone to investigate all the constraints in the network in that area to provide a comprehensive quote. But we don't have anyone to guide us or to support us in that and it takes so long. And even then, we might hear that they can’t even do the connection until 2037.”

Andrew Clark of Energy Systems Catapult says: “We're seeing a lot of network operators build capacity and proactively engage with their local areas on understanding how they can enable planning exercises to happen, and understand how they can be useful for their own decision-making processes in terms of investment on the network. This is also really important with the emergence of Regional Energy Strategic Planners.”

UK100’s Christopher Hammond reinforces the need for better communication. “The energy sector needs to be aware of the challenges that local government are facing, and consider how to have them on board as a genuine partner. Too often they are left out in the cold, because it's quite a technical process. You have got technical people speaking to technical people, and politicians are not always engaged. This all needs to change.”

SGN’s Fergus Tickell stresses that gas networks are keen to engage with local authorities to help them take a whole systems approach to net zero.

He says: “It’s very clear that there is no single solution to decarbonisation and that it requires a collaborative approach and a real focus on optimising all our infrastructure for low-carbon energy. This project shows how important it is for gas and electricity networks to work together to find optimal solutions to support local authority decarbonisation targets and ambitions. We know how challenging times are for councils and we’re here to help in whatever ways we can.

“My message to local authorities would be to keep their options open and try to recognise the local strengths of their energy systems.”