Fentrain AdvisoryFentrain Advisory

Advisory for local government

Closing the budget gap, and keeping it closed.

Fentrain Advisory works with local authorities to set clear strategy, turn it into commercial delivery plans that hold up, and put council finances on a sustainable footing for the years ahead.

Start a conversation See how we help

Services

Three areas of work, one aim: a council that can plan with confidence.

We support senior officers and members at the points where strategy, money and delivery meet.

Strategy

Clear priorities that link the corporate plan to the money available, so choices are made on purpose rather than by default.

  • Corporate and service strategy development
  • Medium Term Financial Strategy review
  • Options appraisal and business cases
  • Member and leadership workshops

Commercial delivery

Commercial plans with named owners, realistic timelines and income figures that stand up to scrutiny.

  • Commercial strategy and income generation
  • Fees, charges and trading reviews
  • Contract and supplier management
  • Company and asset portfolio reviews

Financial sustainability

A path to a balanced budget that protects front-line services and rebuilds resilience over the medium term.

  • Savings programme design and assurance
  • Budget gap and reserves analysis
  • Financial Management Code readiness
  • Recovery and improvement planning

How an engagement runs

From a clear diagnosis to change that lasts.

Every authority is different, but our work follows the same practical sequence.

STEP 1

Diagnose

We review the numbers, the plans and the people, and agree an honest picture of where the council stands.

STEP 2

Plan

We shape the strategy and the delivery plan with your team, so ownership sits where it should from day one.

STEP 3

Deliver

We help mobilise the programme, track savings and income against plan, and unblock what gets stuck.

STEP 4

Embed

We hand over the tools, governance and skills your officers need to carry the work forward without us.

Neil Fenton, founder of Fentrain Advisory

About Neil

Neil Fenton

Founder, Fentrain Advisory

Former local authority Director with more than 20 years' experience running and transforming council services.

Neil Fenton has spent more than 20 years in the public sector, most recently as a Director with responsibility for a large and varied portfolio of council services.

Highways and transport
Parking, network management and fleet
Environment
Waste and parks
Community services
Leisure, libraries, registrars and bereavement services
Property and commercial
Facilities management, capital delivery, commercial delivery, venues and events

That breadth means Neil understands how statutory, discretionary and income-generating services fit together. He also knows where a council can realistically find savings and new income without harming the services residents rely on.

He set up Fentrain Advisory to bring that hands-on, senior experience to authorities working through difficult financial decisions. He works directly with leadership teams and members to build strategies and delivery plans that hold up in practice, not just on paper.

Who we work with

Built for the public sector, and only the public sector.

We understand the statutory duties, the political cycle and the scrutiny that come with spending public money. Our advice fits the way councils actually work.

County councilsUnitary authoritiesDistrict councils London boroughsMetropolitan boroughsCombined authorities

Senior, hands-on support

You work directly with experienced people, not a rotating team of juniors.

Practical over theoretical

Plans are judged on whether they deliver savings and income, not on the size of the report.

Independent and candid

We give officers and members a straight view, including when it is not the one they hoped for.

Capability left behind

We measure success by how well your team runs things after we leave.

Get in touch

Let's talk about your council's next three years.

Whether you are setting next year's budget, refreshing your MTFS or looking for a commercial lead on a specific project, we would be glad to hear from you.