Introducing Local: the new Drupal CMS site template for community-led services

Discover Local: Annertech’s new Drupal CMS site template designed for community-led services. Built on GDS patterns and Drupal Recipes, it offers an accessible, service-first website in minutes.

As the Drupal world gathered for DrupalCon Chicago, all eyes were on the keynote delivered by Drupal founder Dries Buytaert. A major theme this year is making Drupal more accessible to everyone – not just in terms of web standards, but in how easily organisations can get a high-quality site off the ground.

Initially called Starshot, Drupal CMS was developed as a foundation that makes it easy to get up and running quickly on Drupal. 

The recent release of Drupal CMS 2.1 sees an expansion in the number of site templates on offer. There are currently 11 templates, ranging from sites specifically designed for non-profit organisations, to education, finance, healthcare providers and community groups (the Local template). These can be browsed on Drupal's Marketplace. 

“It's very, very exciting. I think the marketplace and the site templates will bring a lot of new people to Drupal. People are looking for solutions, and the Marketplace will have solutions with beautiful themes,“ said Dries. 

At Annertech, we have been working hard to support this mission. We are proud to introduce Local, a Drupal CMS site template designed specifically for organisations that help people find the information they need – from local parish councils and community support services to resident participation groups.

Built on the shoulders of giants

Local isn’t just a theme; it is a “Drupal Recipe” that provides a functional, services-based website in minutes. It draws on Annertech’s extensive experience in the public sector, following the proven patterns of the UK Government Design System (GDS).

“This is breaking new frontiers,” says Tony Barker, Annertech’s Lead Developer on the project.

“It gives users a way of getting a services-based website up and running quickly, with landing pages that are powered by Drupal Canvas with purpose-built components. The simple services content types follow established patterns of clearly communicating information. It can be extended with Drupal technical knowledge, and it provides a starting point that is already bundled with some key features." 

What makes the site template different to Drupal or LocalGov Drupal?

Drupal is a flexible, enterprise-grade open-source content management system (CMS) designed for building complex, high-performance digital experiences.

While full distributions like LocalGov Drupal (LGD) offer comprehensive features for councils, Local is designed as a streamlined entry point for Drupal. It utilises Canvas, Drupal's new intuitive page builder, to ensure that the editorial experience is as smooth as the final output.

Key features of the Local template include:

• Accessible by design: A classic Consistent theme (blue and white) or a vibrant Bright variant, both built to WCAG 2.2 AA standards.
• Service-first architecture: Dedicated content types for service landing pages and individual service pages that stay in sync automatically using ECA (Event-Condition-Action) automation.
• Ready-to-use components: Purpose-designed hero banners, top task links and service cards that integrate seamlessly with Canvas.
• Essential “recipes”: Pre-configured tools for search, SEO, cookie consent (Klaro) and automated transactional emails.

Who is it for?

We see Local serving two distinct needs within the community. 

1. You can use it out of the box to get a good, compliant website without some of the overheads of a full Drupal build.

   “I see it being especially helpful for a community organisation or a small local council or parish,” explains Tony. 

2. Second, it serves as a masterclass for the community. 

   “For technical users who want to understand Drupal Canvas, Single Directory Components or ECA, they can use Local as an example to follow. It is a fantastic way to see how these new site templates are actually constructed,” Tony adds.

Looking ahead 

The launch of Local coincides with a pivotal moment for Drupal CMS. By providing a template that is designed, vetted and built by experts, we are helping to lower the barrier to entry for the public sector.

While there are currently some limitations – such as multilingual support being tied to the upstream development of Canvas – the template is a living project. It represents our commitment to the “Starshot” vision: making Drupal an easy, powerful tool for building the open web.

Conclusion

Local is more than just a template; it is a testament to where Drupal is headed. By combining the power of Drupal Recipes, the intuitive editing of Canvas, and the rock-solid accessibility of GDS patterns, it is easier than ever for community-led services to serve their residents.

Whether you are a small parish council looking for a compliant, budget-friendly digital home, or a developer eager to see the "Starshot" vision in action, Local provides the perfect blueprint. We are proud to contribute this to the ecosystem and can’t wait to see the community-focused digital experiences you build with it.