The Local Councils Podcast

This episode features Councillor George McCaffrey, the chair of the Wiltshire Association of Local Councils (WALC) and a member of the Corsham Town Council. George’s journey to local leadership is rooted in a lifetime of service, beginning when he joined the Royal Navy at the age of 15. Over a 32-year naval career, he served as a Sea Harrier engineer, maintaining "jump jets" through major global e...

This interview features Lance Allen, former Town Clerk and Chief Executive of Trowbridge Town Council, as he reflects on a career spanning nearly two decades in the sector. Having transitioned from a 20-year career in logistics project management, Allen details his journey from serving as a parish councillor to leading one of the largest town councils in Wiltshire. Lance expresses a deep passion f...

In this episode of the Local Councils Podcast, Local Councils Advisor, Ian Nockolds, speaks to Perry Holmes, the Director of Legal and Governance and the Monitoring Officer for Wiltshire Council. Perry is part of the Corporate Leadership Team and is also Chair of the Local Resilience Forum for Swindon & Wiltshire. In a wide ranging interview, Perry discusses his role at Wiltshire Council, refl...

On this episode of the Local Councils Podcast we hear from Alison Robinson is the Director of Council Services at Calne Town Council. Ali discusses her transition from a County Officer role at the Gloucestershire Association of Parish and Town Councils to Calne and her efforts to streamline internal structures and prioritise long-term budget planning. Ali considers the challenges of micro-devoluti...

On this episode of the Local Councils Podcast we hear from Dr Tanvir Bush. Dr Bush is a visually impaired novelist and researcher and in this interview she shares her journey from being a documentary filmmaker in Zambia to a creative writer in the UK. Diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa as a young woman, she adapted to her condition by focusing on creative writing, earning an MA and PhD. She moved...

Mark Smith has had a long and diverse career in local government. Over the last 25 years, he's held senior positions at several councils, including Kennet District, Wiltshire Council, and Reading Borough Council. For the past eight years, he's been the Chief Executive of Chippenham Town Council, overseeing significant achievements such as transferring assets and services from Wiltshire Council, cr...