Truth about Local Government

I sat down with Mariana Pexton, Director of Strategy and Resources at Leeds City Council, Leeds Rhinos Foundation Director and Director of Leeds Rhino Netball. We discussed the three key methods of increasing leadership capacity and capability in local authority officers and members. A very humble and talented local authority leader, who gave some really constructive points for the listeners at ho...

Great to sit down with Sam Chapman-Allen, Chairman of the DIstrict Council Network and Leader of Breckland Council. We discussed the role , motivation and journey of a district Councillor . An authentic leader with a passion for helping. Lots of helpful tips for leaders, members and anyone wanting to help their local community. One to watch for the future!

Local government change programs, need to add value for money, achieve the desired outcomes and fundamentally be successful. I sat down with Ray Wagner, an experienced transformation programme manager and consultant. He has a proven ability in both the public and private sector to successful deliver major strategic change programmes - translating strategy into action. He answered the below questio...

Stuart Reid is an expert in leadership coaching. His mandate is simple, he helps public sector chief executives overcome the isolation and vulnerability of their job, so they can lead with greater confidence and ease. In todays episode I asked Stuart: Do you think that in modern society, the role of Chief Executives in the public sector has got tougher? Why are leaders feeling isolated and vulnera...

Vivien Holland joined Local Partnerships in 2022 as a Project Director with a focus on commercialism in local government. She is an expert in trading companies and we talked through: Background – since the legislation changed in 2011 lots of companies have been set up – how they have helped address funding challenges and promote commerciality How they have fared – some have been successful, others...

Great to sit down with Colin Copus, Emeritus Professor of Local Politics, De Montfort University. Visiting Professor, Ghent University on this key topic. Are we on a one way track to bigger and bigger councils and is that a good thing?

George joined the South Yorkshire Pensions Authority as Director in February 2018 and as Head of Paid Service is responsible for the management of all aspects of the Authority’s activity which is concerned with the management of a £10.5bn Pension Fund with over 170,000 members. Previously he was Managing Director of Local Pensions Partnership’s pension administration business, having led the Lanca...

Will Godfrey, Chief Executive of Bath and North East Somerset Council challenges leaders that opening up whilst you are a leader is incredibly powerful to you and your teams. We are all humans and it is an unhealthy perception that leaders don't experience difficulties in their careers. After Will's brother took his life in August of last year, Will has been on a journey to understand himself and...

Ian Fytche is Chief Executive of North Kesteven District Council in Lincolnshire. Ian began his career in construction, focused on project and contract management. He spent 15 years working in sport, becoming director and chief operating officer of Sport England, where he led complex projects, including the redevelopment of Wembley Stadium and the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester. Ian is Vice...

I sat down with IT leaders from the local government supply chain, Robin Denton – Microsoft - Director of their Local Government division; and Derek Wise - Chief Product and Technology Officer at Civica. A thank you to Fintan Hastings for facilitating this conversation and Robin and Derek for their authentic and honest views on the sector. Today's topic was: " how technology is transforming local...

I sat down with IT leaders from the local government supply chain, Robin Denton – Microsoft - Director of their Local Government division; and Derek Wise - Chief Product and Technology Officer at Civica. A thank you to Fintan Hastings for facilitating this conversation and Robin and Derek for their authentic and honest views on the sector. Today's topic was: " how technology is transforming local...

Sitting down with Trevor Holden , Managing Director, South Norfolk Council and Broadland District Council and Chair, District Councils' Network Chief Executives Group we discussed:- Where has local government and the District Council' Network (DCN). Although the context is different the challenges invariably remain the same, not enough money, recruitment, local government reform.- The role and fut...

Today we had IT leader, Mark Gannon on the TLG podcast to discuss "How intelligent automation can help councils to innovate, save time and money". Key points from our conversation: 1. I think there are still too many services in councils not digitised end-to-end which leads to waste and failure demand. The tools and capabilities exist to do so what is stopping councils from doing this? Do senior l...

David Crowe - Project Director at Local Partnership LLP, has led on the creation of the CEO blueprint. The CEO Blueprint is intended to take council CEOs in England through a need-to-know, structured, risk aware and financially sustainable approach to developing commercial initiatives . The Blueprint covers 12 key considerations, from definition and strategy through to preventing failures and deve...

Throughout districts in England, there are areas of deprivation and a key responsibility of the local authority in that area is to construct a plan that provides a tangible plan as to how that deprivation can be tackled. With Chief Executive, Rose Rouse of Pendle Borough Council, we discussed how Pendle has successfully regenerated key sites within its district and provided advice as to how this c...

.Throughout districts in England, there are areas of deprivation and a key responsibility of the local authority in that area is to construct a plan that provides a tangible plan as to how that deprivation can be tackled. With Chief Executive, Rose Rouse of Pendle Borough Council, we discussed how Pendle has successfully regenerated key sites within its district and provided advice as to how this...

.Abundance is a regulated crowdfunding platform that has developed the Community Municipal Investment (CMI). A CMI is an innoative and powerful new model for councils to raise money from residents and the general public as an alternative to the Public Works Loan Board. CMIs not only provide a competitive source of funding for capital and investment programmes, but also a route for strengthening th...

Philippa Horrocks was an instrumental part of the bidding team that secured Eurovision and was then the Special Projects Manager that helped deliver Eurovision. We talked through that experience and her journey through local government. Well done to Liverpool City Council and the Commissioners, who even when there were financial difficulties still embraced culture as a key aspect of Liverpool's id...

Sara Cameron is the President of ACES (The Association of Chief Estates Surveyors and Property Managers in the Public Sector) and we talked through her journey to being President; the challenges facing property leaders and teams in local government and where innovation can provide solutions to the challenges property leaders are experiencing.

Thoroughly enjoyed sitting down with Deputy Leader Cllr Greg Marshall and Deputy Chief Executive Zulf Darr, at Broxtowe Borough Council to discuss the Beeston project. We explored the journey of this project, the hurdles that have been overcome, the legacy and impact the development has and what the future holds for place shaping in Beeston. This is a fantastic example of what local government can...

Today I sat down with Camilla Mankabady, Director of Communications at Liverpool City Council. Formerly Editor of the BBC, ITV and Euro News. Her move into local government was inspired by her passion for Liverpool. We explored that transition, the art of communication and fundamentally what makes Camilla tick is this thought provoking conversation.

A very insightful conversation with Alison Golding, Assistant Director of Workforce and Transformation at West Northamptonshire Council. We discussed what happens when you launch a brand new council, with on day one, 2700 staff. How do you build a new culture and employer brand from the ground up? For anyone going through culture transformations or are exploring their employer brand some useful ti...

You cannot help but be invigorated by the passion and energy with which Corporate Director at Partnerships LLP Julie McEver approaches change. We talked through her journey, the inevitability of change and how she is helping local authorities prepare for the inevitability of change.

Kath O'Dwyer - Chief Executive of St Helens Council, is a fantastic example of a leader who encourages a culture of transparency, innovation and delivery. We discussed: St Helens history and ambition The career opportunities local government offers The challenges facing local government Kath's journey and role with Solace What high performance in local government means to Kath.

Kath O'Dwyer - Chief Executive of St Helens Council, is a fantastic example of a leader who encourages a culture of transparency, innovation and delivery. We discussed: St Helens history and ambition The career opportunities local government offers The challenges facing local government Kath's journey and role with Solace What high performance in local government means to Kath.