LG Challenge 2023

Michael Barrett:

The local government challenge is an annual competition that has been creating the future leaders of local government for over ten years, all whilst providing valuable consultancy to local councils.

Rose Hampton:

I am so excited for this year's challenge because I was part of the old cohort that got stopped due to COVID. I have just been waiting for the challenge to start again.

Leanda Cable:

I'm feeling really excited to meet and compete with some like minded individuals. Whilst we all have different personalities, there's no doubt we all work in local government to improve the lives of our residents.

Jack Kennedy:

There aren't many opportunities like this in local government where you can have an immersive experience where you're just chucked in at the deep end. You've only got two days to deliver on something really exciting.

Zoe Galvin:

I cannot wait to be back in a room full of people coming up with ideas, pitching solutions, and really seeing the value of coming together to solve problems.

Lewis Sheldrake:

I think the scale of challenges facing communities across the country is immense and that the role of local government has never been more critical.

Hani Milburn-Cox:

Just can't wait to hear what councils have participated and really to engage with all different types.

Sydney Alexander:

What I've heard in previous challenges is that it can be a bit of a shock to really be thrown into a new situation with new people, maybe a new service area.

Felicity Lynch:

I think the most difficult aspect for me will be the political side of it, as I don't work directly within a county council myself. I think there'll be things that I won't understand and things I'll have to learn.

Joe Kinsella:

I think taking a deep breath and composing myself when coming in and out of pressure situations will be difficult. I am an emotional person, but I need to control those emotions and use them in the right way.

Hannah Futter:

Really looking forward to visiting other local authorities, parts of the country that you would never normally get to visit.

Jack Kennedy:

You're thrown into the deep end in policy areas where you may not know a huge amount about and there's lots of parts of local government that I haven't got experience of.

Zoe Galvin:

I'm usually more of a reflective thinker, so I know the LG Challenge is going to test my ability to stick to my guns and deliver at pace.

Leanda Cable:

Taking part will take me completely out of my comfort zone, which is a good thing.

Sydney Alexander:

I really hope the challenge can be a place where I lead with curiosity, where I can develop my own skills, particularly around leadership and management.

Hani Milburn-Cox:

I'm most looking forward to regrouping with the great colleagues that also form part of this challenge.

Lewis Sheldrake:

Let's ensure that we're embracing the full suite of digital innovation to ensure that services are of a high quality. They represent good value for money, and most importantly of all, are accessible for people to ensure that those who are most vulnerable can use them too.

Leanda Cable:

Working with colleagues from up and down the country, from different authorities, and understanding how different people and different localities approach problem solving.

Zoe Galvin:

Last year I started an apprenticeship in systems thinking I'm really looking forward to using the LG Challenge as a kind of playground to test out the things that I've learned and help other councils to think differently.

Sydney Alexander:

And hear different voices from across the country and also bring back something to my own council about the ways that we work with residents, we work with communities. New and fresh ideas.

Rose Hampton:

Also the presentations at the end. I love that part because it's when it all comes together in a neat bow.

Michael Barrett:

When observing the teams, the qualities that I'm looking for are the confidence to put forward ideas, the ability to lead others throughout a challenge, but also I really want to see the ambition to go all the way to the final.

Felicity Lynch:

I believe I can win this year's LGA Challenge because I'm a creative, out-of-the-box thinker.

Joe Kinsella:

I get things done collectively and nothing phases me or ever gets in my way.

Hannah Futter:

I'm pretty competitive generally. My current job means I have to work under pressure a lot of the time, so I'm hoping to bring some of that energy to the challenge.

Jack Kennedy:

I am quite competitive, so I'm looking forward to utilising that competitive nature but in a friendly, supportive environment.

Hani Milburn-Cox:

I've worked in local government since I graduated and I believe I have a strong vision.

Lewis Sheldrake:

I'm highly skilled in problem solving, adaptability and critical thinking.

Leanda Cable:

I've been lucky enough to work in local government for 17 years at both county and district level in a wide range of roles.

Sydney Alexander:

I've always really prided myself on being a generalist and really leading with curiosity to understand the different experiences and perspectives people have.

Rose Hampton:

I have what it takes to win because I have grit. I've got determination.

Zoe Galvin:

I'm definitely more collaborative than competitive, but I adapt to new environments really quickly.

Hani Milburn-Cox:

If you're one of the officers, members, partners, community groups, that will be involved in this year's challenges, I really can't wait to meet you, talk around your issues and hopefully propose helpful solutions that you can take forward.

Felicity Lynch:

The thing that I'm most looking forward to about the challenge is meeting the other contestants, getting to know them, learning from their experiences and seeing how they react to the situations.

Hannah Futter:

I'm really looking forward to the challenge. I'm really excited to get started. It feels like it's been a long time coming.

Joe Kinsella:

Just a massive thank you to the team for getting the challenges on and running in 2023 despite the pandemic. LG Challenge 2023, I know it will be worth the wait.

What is your current role?

I started at Islington Council as a National Graduate Management Trainee in 2020. After two rewarding years moving around the council and having the opportunity to contribute to a variety of work, from our strategy to challenge inequality to the delivery of the Holiday Activities and Food Programme, I recently started a role as a Policy and Innovation Officer in the Fairness and Equality Team.

My current role focuses on facilitating strategic thinking across the council, supporting on cross-cutting strategy, policy and programmes which aim to tackle complex social challenges. As a team we look to use creativity in engagement, design and data to understand what matters to our residents and support working in collaborative and dynamic ways with colleagues, partners and communities to deliver the best outcomes for residents. This includes providing advice on equality and inclusion to ensure challenging inequality is at the heart of everything we do.

What motivated you to apply for the challenge?

I’m passionate about leading with curiosity and always pushing myself to continue to develop. I've applied to the LG Challenge as I want to gain experience and learn from working with diverse, talented and creative thinkers from across the sector (while seeing more of local government life outside London!). It also seems like a great opportunity to push myself to think differently about new challenges, develop my ability to empower a team to produce the best outcomes and come back to my council with more confidence as a leader offering innovative ways of thinking about tackling the problems we face.

What is your current role?

I have been at Maldon District Council since October 2021, originally starting on a 12-month contract to manage elements of the authorities Welcome Back Fund, Additional Restrictions Grant and Contain Outbreak Management Fund allocations within the deadline of March 2022, no small feat! I was delighted when earlier this year my contract was extended for further 12 months and the opportunity to focus my time on managing the development and delivery of the District’s UK Shared Prosperity and Rural England Prosperity Funds.

What motivated you to apply for the challenge?

I’ve worked in local government for the past 17 years and the more I learn the more interesting I find it. By taking part in the LGA Challenge I knew it would be an exciting opportunity to gain insights into how things are done differently in other areas. As public finances are squeezed, it is important we look outside our own localities for collaboration, innovation and problem solving, working together to deliver value for money and savings. As part of the experience, I want to learn how we can be more effective, with less resource and I am confident the Challenge will result in tangible measures to address this.

What is your current role?

I started as a PMO Programme Manager in Cumberland Council in April 2023, when the council was newly formed replacing the seven former authorities within Cumbria. This role involves overseeing and managing critical aspects of the transition and transformation programme for the new unitary council, working closely with Westmorland & Furness Council for hosted services. Previously to this, I worked as the Place Programme Manager within the Cumbria Local Government Reorganisation Programme which managed and delivered the transition of county and district services into the two new councils, and the new role is very much a continuation from preparation towards delivery for the new council. This portfolio of services is wide-ranging from Highways, Planning, Housing, Waste and Community Development among others. It has required significant matrix as well as line management and has enabled me to balance personal leadership with professional programme management support. My new role builds on my gained experience in working across organisational boundaries and siloed working to deliver for people and places. I also have significant experience in working in a politically sensitive environment, particularly in policy and strategy roles, which requires a good understanding of strategic priorities and local decision-making. Previously, I have supported significant corporate projects such as the Council’s hosting of the LGA Corporate Peer Challenge 2019, and a LG Challenge in 2018.

What motivated you to apply for the challenge?

The LG Challenge will enable me to grasp a personal ambition to promote Cumberland, and showcase its successes and sharing its challenges on the national stage. The Challenge would also enable me to share best practice and learning with the Council and wider public sector landscape to drive change. A personal ambition to move at pace in consolidating transformative leadership potential, the LG Challenge is an excellent opportunity to establish valuable contacts, develop innovative proposals and solutions to strategic problems, and test my personal drive for results for people and places.

What is your current role?

I am currently Assistant Chief Executive. I work closely with the Cabinet and Strategic Leadership Team to manage the work programme of the Cabinet and ensure that the key strategic priorities and programmes are coordinated and aligned. My role varies from managing some of our key programmes, such as University of Portsmouth’s Waltham Forest Campus, to overseeing the Leadership Office and supporting the Chief Executive in his role.

What motivated you to apply for the challenge?

I am keen to meet others from other local authorities and work on a range of complex problems outside of my usual remit.

What is your current role?

I started my local government career in October 2017 when I joined Kent County Council’s graduate programme. I worked on various change projects during this programme including the implementation of GDPR across the authority, a select committee focused on Pupil Premium, and a series of rural transport initiatives. After working on projects within Adult Social Care and Health for the last I’m now working on the Kent Communities Programme project which has been identified as one of Kent County Council’s priority projects within its Strategic Reset. Its focus is to understand and plan how specific services are delivered to Kent’s diverse communities and what future provision might look like across the County with a focus on sustainably meeting the needs of our residents and service users. This role enables me to work collaboratively across the council and I’m looking forward to a fresh challenge to utilise my project management skills and respond to evolving user needs.

What motivated you to apply for the challenge?

I love any opportunity to experience something a bit different, so I jumped at the chance to participate in this incredible range of challenges. I’m excited to visit new places and work with new people, growing my understanding of local government and developing my leadership capability. I know it won’t be easy, but I’m ready to step out of my comfort zone to build resilience in myself, my teammates and the sector as a whole. I expect to finish the challenges teeming with ideas and insights about how we can come together to deliver fantastic value for our residents.

What is your current role?

I am a Senior Marketing and Communications Officer at Staffordshire County Council. I work on both internal change communications and external marketing campaigns. My role involves informing the public of schemes they can apply for and benefit from, as well as informing internal staff of transformational changes taking place within the organisation. This position requires me to be dynamic and adaptable as the projects I work on are often complex, with a range of moving parts and multiple stakeholders. This role requires me to move comfortably between big picture objectives and small tasks required to achieve successful communication. I am a people focused individual and really enjoy that my role enables me to work with lots of partner organisations to achieve organisational objectives. I feel incredibly proud to work for Staffordshire County Council and I would love to encourage more young people to apply for roles within local government. It is an incredibly challenging and rewarding career and a very exciting time to be working in such an organisation.

What motivated you to apply for the challenge?

I applied for the LG Challenge to expand my horizons and to gain a greater exposure to the challenges faced by local authorities on a national scale. I was also drawn to the incredibly exciting opportunity to work in a team environment with like-minded people from across the country that all have different backgrounds and experiences. I am looking forward to learning a lot from the challenges and the other participants.

What is your current role?

I started the LG Challenge as Economic Development Manager at Basingstoke and Deane Basingstoke Council but have since moved on to be Head of Economy and Growth at Surrey County Council. My new role has a key focus on developing high level skills interventions for key sectors of the Surrey economy as well as supporting wider economic interventions the Council is involved in such as inward investment, account management of critical institutions and businesses and driving forward innovation and growth. As with my previous roles in both local and central government, I love the variety of the role and the opportunities it presents to work across public and private sector boundaries and ultimately working towards making Surrey a better place to work, live and play.

What motivated you to apply for the challenge?

There are loads of reasons why I originally applied for the Local Government Challenge! But to focus on a few, the chance to work with, and test myself against, some of the best local government officers in the country still really excites me. I am always keen to learn about how others approach problems and issues, particularly ones that are outside of the scope of my day job. As someone who is passionate about developing my skills, I hope I can bring back a new skillset that will be of benefit to the businesses and residents of Surrey. I am really looking forward to getting started (again)!

What is your current role?

I work for the Yorkshire Urban and Rural Social Work Teaching Partnership; as Project Manager for the partnership, I am responsible for driving activity forward ensuring we are delivering our strategic objectives against the criteria set by the Department of Education. 

As the partnership is made up of two Universities and four local authorities, a primary aspect of my job is working with people collaboratively, ensuring that we are all pulling in the right direction, despite the differences individual agencies may have in terms of their priorities. This is the part of the job I enjoy the most, working with others to make a real and lasting positive impact on the education, training and delivery of social work practice which therefore improves the experience for the people who we provide social work services to…. as really that is what it is all about!

What motivated you to apply for the challenge?

I wanted to challenge myself in a way that I have not been challenged before. The opportunity to collaborate with fellow contestants from across the country and gain understanding from their perspectives and lived experiences, is one I wanted to seize. The learning and development I will gain from this experience, both personally and professionally, will be invaluable. I am of course relishing this challenge. I’m ready to put my skills to the test. I am proud to be representing Calderdale in the LG Challenge. Let’s see what 2020 has in store - I’m sure it’ll be an exciting journey! 

What is your current role?

I am currently a Watch Manager working for Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service part of Cumbria County Council. In addition to attending front line operational incidents, I work within the People, Development and Assurance department managing the transition to a new competency management system and ensuring compliance with National Operational Guidance. This new system will simplify the input required from personnel whilst also achieving a greater depth of information for reporting. I also work as part of the XVR team. XVR is a virtual reality system that is used to train and assess Service Managers in Incident Command at all levels. XVR provides a real time immersion simulation giving Managers the best possible preparation for future incidents.

Operationally I respond to Road Traffic Collision, Swift Water Rescue, Working at Height, Hazardous Materials and Fires, as well as partaking in Community Fire Safety activities.

What motivated you to apply for LG Challenge?

I applied to take part in the Local Government Challenge because I believe it will present situations that both challenge my intelligence and problem solving skills. I am looking forward to meeting people from various backgrounds and walks of life. The opportunity to experience different Councils and Authorities around the country is interesting and exciting. I hope to learn from their best practices and explore solutions to the questions that they face. I constantly want to push myself in order to better prepare for my future career path.

What is your current role?

Following five years of service in the Armed Forces including operational deployments, I began my career in Local Government in 2010. My current role as Lead Commissioner – Innovation and Personalisation, is to support the Council and its partners to deliver the aspiration for a health and care system that enables people to make healthier choices, to be more resilient, to deal more effectively with illness and disability when it arises, and to have happier, longer lives in old age. I play a central role in making the most effective use of the available resources by commissioning quality services to meet the needs of the local population. I have recently led a substantial innovation programme which has demonstrated the critical role that technology can play in improving outcomes by enabling people to meaningfully direct their own care. This has been achieved through an integrated service delivery model which has enabled investment in preventative initiatives to provide effective demand management and the realisation of significant financial benefits.

What motivated you to apply for the challenge?

I believe that I have the right motivation, attitude, and skills to bring to the LG Challenge and by extension to benefit from it. I am highly conscientious in my approach to my work and strive to get to the ‘heart’ of an issue where interventions can be most effectively focused. The LG Challenge presents the unique opportunity to work with colleagues from across the country in a structured programme that will test and develop my competencies further. I am confident that taking part will enable me to affect positive change, inspire others and deliver improved outcomes in Local Government.