A bold, human-centred business case for the future of local government in Essex.
Formara was commissioned by Southend-on-Sea City Council to design the full business case document for the Local Government Reorganisation (LGR), on behalf of 10 Essex local authorities supporting the Five Unitary Authority Proposal (5UA), one of four structural reform proposals currently open for consultation on the Essex LGR Hub.
The objective was to present a compelling, accessible and clearly structured case for how 10 authorities could operate under a unitary model. The document needed to balance policy detail with clarity, making complex structural proposals easy to follow for elected members, senior officers, and the public.
The brief specified that design must be politically neutral, and that no authority-specific branding or colour systems were permitted, ensuring equal representation across all areas
Concept exploration began with multiple visual directions developed over a short initial sprint. Final selections were made within the first week, enabling rapid movement into full-layout production.
Whilst early concepts included illustrated landmark identities, the chosen direction moved instead toward immersive full-page photography, reflecting Essex not just as an administrative geography, but as a lived place of people, landscapes and communities. Large images anchor the document emotionally, while resident quotations humanise what could otherwise be a technical paper. This combination set the proposal apart visually from the three alternatives presented on the Essex LGR Hub.
Where other submissions leaned more formal or corporate, this design intentionally feels open, warm and rooted in place, presenting local government reform in a way that is easier to engage with for both public and decision-makers.
A restrained, neutral gradient palette, balanced typography and structured grid system ensure clarity and cohesion across more than 200 pages (in addition to appendices, some of which were also designed), supported by custom infographics for population, infrastructure and economy to communicate complex data at a glance.
AI was used as a thinking partner, not as an author, helping us:
This accelerated the concept stage, creating more time for human-led refinement, editorial judgement and accessibility checking throughout production.
“Working within political neutrality and without any authority branding sharpened the design thinking on this project. It pushed us to focus on clarity, navigation and the human connection at the heart of the proposal, resulting in a visual identity that feels open, inclusive, and genuinely reflective of Greater Essex as a whole.””
The full design was completed in just a few weeks, with daily collaboration sessions, ongoing iteration, and several rounds of proofing to ensure clarity, neutrality and consistency. Despite scale and pace, the final output remained spacious, readable and visually coherent.
A complete business case document, visually distinctive amongst the consultation suite, grounded in place through photography and personal voices, and crafted to support informed decision making around the future of local government in Essex.
We produced the full LGR book as a perfect bound publication with a gloss laminated cover, giving it a durable, high quality finish suitable for senior stakeholders. Alongside this, we created a shorter summary version which was saddle stitched, offering an accessible, easy to reference companion document.
Several rounds of proofing were carried out to ensure clarity, neutrality and consistency. Despite scale and pace, the final output remained spacious, readable and visually coherent.
“Speaking to Leaders and Senior Officers across the county, all have commented on the quality of our proposal, the clear presentation and the imagery that brings our place to life. The design really does set our proposal apart from the others.”
We bring together smart design, compelling visuals, and thoughtful pacing to create standout print experiences.
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