The proportion of architects practicing in the public sector has dropped from almost 50% in 1976 to less than 1% 40 years later.

We have a problem: there is not enough interest in 'good architecture' beyond the expensive flash:
The death of architecture | The Independent

And there are simply not enough architects working for Local Authorities: 
Civic duty – what happened to public sector architecture? - LEAF Review
Which councils employ the most in-house architects? | News | Architects Journal

And so another inhouse architecture team is privatised:
Q&A: Chloe Phelps on turning Croydon’s in-house team into a commercial practice | News | Architects Journal

But there are alternatives, with innovative ways to offer expertise and experience:

Built environment social enterprise launches

30/10/17  GREG PITCHER

Housing association Peabody has joined up with councils, developers and policymakers to form a social enterprise aiming to improve public planning and influence development. The London-based organisation, which owns more than 50,000 homes across the South East, is one of six founding members of Public Practice, which aims to bring private sector built environment skills into local authorities.

According to the newly formed body, the proportion of architects practicing in the public sector has dropped from almost 50% in 1976 to less than 1% 40 years later. It added that 96% of London boroughs said they required more planning and place-shaping skills, but all had difficulty attracting appropriately qualified people.

Inside Housing - News - Built environment social enterprise launches

Mind you, not everyone is lamenting the loss of the public architect:
Who’d want to go back to when most architects worked in the public sector? | Opinion | Architects Journal
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