Resilience in Transition Secures Gold NSG Standard in Lancashire County Council

The challenge

Lancashire County Council found itself in a vulnerable position following a restructure and the retirement of key staff, which left its National Street Gazetteer (NSG) function without continuity, training, or handover. Responsibility for maintaining NSG data – vital for street works coordination, emergency planning, and infrastructure delivery – had to be transferred rapidly and with minimal support.

With the authority's long-standing Gold standard at stake, there was an urgent need not just to stabilise the function, but to renew confidence in its ability to maintain national data quality benchmarks and contribute meaningfully to the wider NSG community.

The solution

Steady and pragmatic steps were taken to rebuild capability. The new Custodian sought out additional training through GeoPlace and drew on the knowledge and experience of other local authorities to benchmark against best practice. Re-establishing strong working relationships with district contacts became a priority, with clearer communication protocols helping to ensure updates were accurate and timely.

Accessing alternative data sources, such as the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), further strengthened the quality of local insight and supported more responsive updates to the gazetteer. In parallel, Lancashire re-engaged with the national conversation, ensuring its voice was heard in Custodian forums and sector meetings – a valuable step in preserving institutional confidence and shared learning.

Internally, the Highways Asset Performance and Information team worked to embed NSG awareness across the directorate. Briefings were delivered to ensure that colleagues understood both the strategic value of the NSG and the local processes underpinning it. New tracking mechanisms were introduced to improve visibility of tasks, enabling the team to prioritise work effectively and strengthen service delivery.

This coordinated effort, built on initiative, collaboration, and a strong sense of duty, transformed a moment of disruption into an opportunity to streamline operations and reinforce data stewardship across the organisation.

The results

Lancashire County Council successfully retained its Gold standard for NSG data – a reflection of its renewed clarity of purpose and operational resilience.

The team’s work underscored the strategic importance of the NSG in enabling responsive, data-led public services. It also demonstrated the value of proactive engagement with national networks, and the strength of an organisational culture in which individuals are supported to take ownership and drive improvement.

With better workflows, clearer visibility of responsibilities, and a re-energised sense of commitment, Lancashire has emerged stronger – not only in its data, but in the systems, relationships, and learning that now support it. In practical terms, this means residents benefit from more accurate coordination of roadworks, more timely responses to street-based issues, and more efficient planning of local services. What began as a disruption has become a renewed contract with the public – one grounded in reliable data, responsive services, and visible results. By reaffirming its commitment to the integrity of the NSG, Lancashire has not only maintained its standing, but also strengthened the trust that underpins effective local government.

Marie Sumner LSG Custodian, Lancashire County Council said:

“We didn’t just maintain our NSG standards – we used the transition to reinforce them. The relationships, protocols and understanding we’ve built will benefit service delivery for years to come.”