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The Local Authority is a podcast by Local Government Chronicle.
Each month, the podcast will ask fundamental questions about how local government needs to adapt to fulfil its full potential and best serve local populations.
It will see LGC assemble a small panel of significant figures from the sector to discuss one specific issue per episode.
All will have a focus on the future, with the emphasis being on innovation, fairness, policy change and place leadership.
Between launch in May 2021 and June 2023 the podcast was sponsored by TPXImpact.
Each month, the podcast will ask fundamental questions about how local government needs to adapt to fulfil its full potential and best serve local populations.
It will see LGC assemble a small panel of significant figures from the sector to discuss one specific issue per episode.
All will have a focus on the future, with the emphasis being on innovation, fairness, policy change and place leadership.
Between launch in May 2021 and June 2023 the podcast was sponsored by TPXImpact.
44 Episodes
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In this episode of The Local Authority podcast, LGC’s head of content Kirsty Weakley is joined by Alan Clark (Barnet LBC), Kevin Fox (Capita) and Helen Barnard (Trussell Trust) to explore how councils can approach aged debt collection in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis.
With billions owed in council tax and business rates, collection is critical to funding public services, while the reality that many residents in arrears are already in severe financial hardship. Together the panel discuss the ways in which collection can be a more compassionate exercise, utilising technology, data, and a person-centred approach to improve efficiency and fairness.
This episode is sponsored by Capita: "Capita helps councils recover aged debt in a way that’s fair, ethical, and effective—so you can protect vulnerable residents while funding vital public services. Discover how our digital and AI-driven solutions make debt recovery smarter and more compassionate. Learn more at content.capita.com/aged-debt"
Almost a fifth of pupils are now classed as having special educational needs but under the current system parents feel they have to fight to get support for their child. Meanwhile councils are being pushed to the brink of bankruptcy by the costs of provision.
With the government promising to set out reforms in a schools white paper this autumn, this episode of The Local Authority explores what needs to happen to make sustainable services that work for families.
Joining LGC editor Sarah Calkin to discuss this topic are Rachael Wardell, Surrey CC director of children’s services and president of the Association of Directors of Children’s Services, Susan Parsonage, chief executive of Wokingham BC and Solace spokesperson on Send, and William Burns, social care policy advisor at the Chartered Institute of Public Finance & Accountancy.
The role of councillors has never been more important, with local government reorganisation set to reduce their number while ministers aim to enhance their role in their communities.
But there are concerns that council chambers do not reflect local populations, potential candidates are being put off from standing, and good councillors are not standing for re-election.
As LGC launches its Councillors for the 21st Century campaign, Andrew Ferrier, chief executive of Test Valley BC, Catherine Mangan, professor of public management and leadership at the Institute of Local Government Studies at the University of Birmingham, and Ryan Jude, a cabinet member at Westminster City Council, discuss the barriers councillors face, and how to overcome them.
This episode was recorded live at Stronger Things 2025.
This episode is sponsored by Downing. Downing is a responsible investment manager with nearly a billion pounds of assets under management in renewable energy and infrastructure.
This episode was recorded live at the LGC Investment Seminar which was held between 27-28 March 2025 in Carden Park, Cheshire. Joining Martin George, deputy editor of Local Government Chronicle, are:
Tom Williams, head of energy and infrastructure at Downing
Laura Colliss, pension fund manager at North East Scotland Pension Fund
Together they discuss the investment opportunities for the Local Government Pension Scheme to invest in the energy transition ahead of key milestones in 2030 and 2050, the role of Great British Energy and how the LGPS can work with it, and how LGPS funds can use these opportunities to achieve a local impact in their area.
Find out more about the event at investmentseminar.lgcplus.com/
Read LGC's investment content at lgcplus.com/investment
Tackling climate change is a key priority for councils across the country, and energy policy is an indispensable part of this work. In this special episode LGC, in association with Capita, is examining how councils can make community energy a reality, and the role of local area energy planning in achieving their goals.
LGC deputy editor Martin George is joined by Wayne Bexton, director of economy, environment and assets at Nottinghamshire CC, Fiona Brazill, head of proposition for sustainability and net zero at Capita Public Service, and Debbie Caldwell, climate commissioner at Belfast City Council.
LGC Net Zero 2025 is taking place in Manchester on 18 June. View the programme and register for your complimentary place here (subject to approval).
The English devolution white paper outlines ambitions to join up public services, hand mayors more influence over arms length bodies and give them a bigger role in other public services.
What does this mean for how public services will run in the future, will the proposals achieve what the government wants them to, and what is needed to make them work?
In this episode, LGC deputy editor Martin George is joined by Pam Smith, chief executive of Newcastle City Council and Jessica Studdert, chief executive of New Local.
The English devolution white paper, published in December, commits to “a permanent shift of power away from Whitehall” and a rewiring of national government to work in partnership with mayors and council leaders.
Plans include the creation of more mayors and devolution across the country, with more powers for existing mayors, including over how they spending existing devolved budgets.
This is episode two if three exploring all aspects of the white paper and is focused on Devolution
In this episode LGC editor Sarah Calkin is joined by:
Sean Anstee, director of operations, Devon and Torbay CCA
Sarah Longlands, Chief executive, Centre for Local Economic Strategies
The English devolution white paper, published in December, commits to “a permanent shift of power away from Whitehall” and a rewiring of national government to work in partnership with mayors and council leaders.
But it also heralded the end of two tier local government by ordering counties and districts to reorganise into unitary councils.
Over three episodes of The Local Authority, LGC will explore all major aspects of the government’s plans, beginning with reorganisation.
In this episode, LGC editor Sarah Calkin is joined by:
Kevin Bentley, Conservative group lead at the LGA and leader of Essex CC
Richard Flinton, chief executive of North Yorkshire Council
Bridget Smith, Lib Dem leader of South Cambridgeshire DC
In a world of squeezed budgets and increasing demand, improving outcomes while saving money has become the holy grail for local government. In this special episode LGC, in association with IMPOWER, is delving deep into one place’s quest to transform health and social care services to do just that.
Manchester’s Better Outcomes, Better Lives programme brought health and social care services together at neighbourhood level to improve support for residents in need of social care and avoid more than £39m in costs.
LGC editor Sarah Calkin is joined by Bernie Enright, Manchester City Council’s executive director for adult social services, Katy Calvin-Thomas, chief executive of the Manchester and Trafford local care organisations and Oliver Barnes, delivery director at IMPOWER to discuss how they did it.
Read more: Bernadette Enright: Delivering ‘good savings’ in adult social care
One of the government’s first acts on coming to power in July was to launch a consultation on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework in a bid to deliver its ambition of 370,000 homes a year over the course of this parliament.
Proposed changes include a new methodology for housing targets, a move towards more strategic planning and a revised definition of the green belt.
In this episode of The Local Authority we explore whether the proposals will have the desired effect – and what else needs to change to deliver the homes the country needs.
LGC editor Sarah Calkin is joined by:
Ann Carruthers, president of the Association of directors of environment, planning and transport and director of environment and transport for Leicestershire CC
Richard Clewer, leader of Wiltshire Council and a member of the LGA’s local infrastructure and net zero board
Hugh Ellis, director of policy at the town and country planning association
This episode is sponsored by Brightwood.
Brightwood Capital is a $6 billion private credit firm that specialises in providing customised senior debt capital to sponsored and non-sponsored U.S. businesses in five core industries within the middle market.
This episode was recorded live at the LGC Investment and Pensions Summit which was held between 11-13 September 2024 in Birmingham. Joining Martin George, deputy editor of Local Government Chronicle, are:
Sengal Selassie, CEO and founder of Brightwood Capital Advisors
Mike O'Donnell, former CEO of London CIV
Jo Kempton, head of Lincolnshire Pension Fund
Together they discuss the implications of the new UK Government, an upcoming U.S presidential election, and the potential for pension fund/pool mergers, structural change, UK-focused investment, and more.
Find out more about the event at investmentsummit.lgcplus.com
Read LGC's investment content at lgcplus.com/investment
Continually looking for savings and efficiencies in the quest to balance the books has become a way of life for local authorities. But striking the balance between achieving savings in the short term without storing up more problems for the future is challenging and can require political and managerial bravery.
In this episode of The Local Authority LGC, in association with Impower, explores what good savings look like and how councils can deliver more of them.
LGC editor Sarah Calkin is joined by:
Martin Reeves, chief executive, Oxfordshire CC
Mark Smith, director of public service reform, Gateshead MBC
Ebony Hughes, chief operating officer, Impower
BONUS: This episode is from the LGC Investment Series Podcast which brings you exclusive content from our LGPS focused event series.
In this episode, deputy editor of Local Government Chronicle Martin George is joined by is Phil Triggs, Tri-Borough Director of Treasury and Pensions at Westminster City Council, and Jo Donnelly, Secretary to the Scheme Advisory Board.
The group discuss what the landslide Labour general election of 2024 means for the LGPS.
To find out more about the event, sponsorship, or attendance, visit
https://lgcpensioninsight.lgcplus.com/2024/en/page/home
For news, features and events regarding the LGPS visit: https://lgcplus.com/investment
Normal episodes of The Local Authority will resume soon. We hope you enjoy this bonus episode.
Last week Labour won the general election and a new government is in place. To discuss what this might mean for local government, including devolution, council funding and planning reform, LGC editor Sarah Calkin is joined by an expert panel:
Charlotte Alldritt, founder and former chief executive of the Centre for Progressive Policy and political advisor to Lord Sainsbury
Jessica Studdert, interim chief executive of New Local
Tony Travers, associate dean of the School of Public Policy at the London School of Economics
Home to school transport has become an increasing pressure on council budgets as a combination of increases in demand from pupils with special educational needs and a lack of supply push up costs.
In this episode of The Local Authority, LGC in association with Qroutes, would like to explore how councils can reduce costs whilst ensuring children receive the education they need. What is the role of schools? How can parental expectations be managed? Should services be means tested?
LGC editor Sarah Calkin is joined by:
Roger Gough, leader of Kent CC and children’s services spokesperson for the County Councils Network
Rachael Shimmin, chief executive of Buckinghamshire Council
Liz Davidson, chief marketing officer for Qroutes
Support for this episode comes from QRoutes. QRoutes creates routing optimisation software that helps local authorities address their special educational needs transport challenges. Their technology helps school transport planners deliver tailored and empathetic services that cut carbon and cost less.
Find out more at: qroutes.co.uk
It's 3pm on 03 May, and the local election count is on. In the LGC news room for this special Local Authority episode, LGC deputy editor Martin George is joined by editor Sarah Calkin and reporter Caitlin Webb to talk all things results: what do we know so far, what trends are at play and what local issues have been influencing results? Which are the counts particularly worth focusing on as we continue into the weekend, and have there been any surprises so far?
Find out more about sponsoring an episode of The Local Authority by downloading a copy of the media pack here, or emailing Andrew.Leggatt@emap.com.
The local elections are just around the corner, with everyone in England and Wales able to vote in either council, metro mayor or police and crime commissioner elections, or a combination of the three.
With the Conservatives behind in national polling, the increasing importance of independent candidates, and some bellwether mayoral and council contests taking place on 2 May, there is a lot to talk about.
In this special Local Authority episode, LGC deputy editor Martin George is joined by editor Sarah Calkin and head of news Kirsty Weakley to discuss all this and more. The trio are joined by elections expert Colin Rallings who explains why he thinks the Tories could lose up to 500 seats, and by Andrew Carter, chief executive of Centre for Cities, to talk about its recent polling about the metro mayors.
Find out more about sponsoring an episode of The Local Authority by downloading a copy of the media pack here, or emailing Andrew.Leggatt@emap.com.
Councils are increasingly recognising the value of involving communities in the design of services meanwhile financial pressures have seen the delivery of services such as libraries outsourced to community groups. And though new technology has provided more ways for councils to engage with their residents and businesses, misinformation through social media platforms can often undermine trust.
In this episode of The Local Authority we explore what the relationship between councils and their communities should look like and how councils can build trust and democratic engagement.
LGC editor Sarah Calkin is joined by:
Elizabeth Campbell (Con), leader of Kensington & Chelsea RBC
Tracey Lee, chief executive, Plymouth City Council
Adam Lent, chief executive, New Local
Find out more about sponsoring an episode of The Local Authority here: https://lgcplus.com/podcast
Children’s services are frequently cited as the biggest current pressure on council budgets, with costs having spiralled in recent years. But despite huge increases in spending there is concern children are often not getting the care and support they need, with shortages of placements meaning young people can often find themselves placed many miles away from the people and places they know. Furthermore placements are increasingly being provided in facilities run by private equity backed firms, sparking concerns of excessive profit making.
In this episode of The Local Authority, the podcast from Local Government Chronicle, we explore what has gone wrong and what needs to happen to fix a broken system.
LGC editor Sarah Calkin is joined by:
Louise Gittins (Lab), chair of the LGA children and young people’s board and leader of Cheshire West & Chester Council
Josh MacAlister, chair of the 2022 Independent Review of Children’s Social Care and now executive chair of Foundations, the what works centre for children and families
Andy Smith, vice president of Association of Directors of Children’s Services and strategic director for children’s and adults’ social services at Derby City Council
The UK is one of the most centralised countries in the world and local authorities enjoy few revenue raising powers when compared with their counterparts in other developed nations. In recent years calls have been growing for local authorities to be given the power to set new taxes or take control of elements of the existing tax base. However, central government has so far resisted these calls.
In this episode of The Local Authority, the podcast from Local Government Chronicle, we want to explore the arguments for fiscal devolution, what that could look like in practice and why it is being met with resistance.
Joining Sarah Calkin this month is Jamie Driscoll, metro mayor of the North of Tyne Combined Authority; Jessica Studdert, deputy chief executive of New Local and Ross Mudie, research analyst at The Centre for Progressive Policy.
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