Local Government Leadership in Conversation: Reflections on Two Recent Dinners

Why These Dinners Matter

Over the past month, we’ve had the privilege of co-hosting two leadership dinners that brought together some of the most thoughtful and experienced voices in Local Government. These events, held in alongside my colleague Jes Ladva from Odgers Interim, are part of a long-running series we’ve curated to foster candid, Chatham House-rule debate and discussions around the challenges and opportunities facing local public service leaders today and how they will need to adapt for the future.

Dinner with Professor Tony Travers: A Historical Lens on Local Government

The first dinner, held in early June, welcomed a group of Local Government leaders to our offices in Cannon Street for an evening with Professor Tony Travers of the London School of Economics. Tony, a respected commentator on local government, opened the evening with a sweeping historical perspective, touching on everything from the global financial crisis to Brexit, and from European conflicts to the cost of living crisis. This framing helped us understand how these macro events continue to shape the UK’s social, political and economic landscape, and in turn, the pressures on local authorities.

Leaders Under Pressure

Around the table, we had representation from upper-tier authorities from across the country and across the political spectrum: Conservative, Labour, and Liberal Democrat. The conversation quickly turned to the pressing issues of the day: devolution, Local Government reorganisation, and the ever-present financial pressures driven by rising demand in adult and children’s services. It was a rich, thoughtful discussion that underscored the complexity of leadership in this space and the inherent tensions between local and national political leadership.

Simon Case on Central/Local Government Relations

Just a few weeks later, we hosted another dinner with Simon Case, the former Cabinet Secretary, now Lord Case. Simon brought a unique perspective on the relationship between Central and Local Government, and the ripple effects of global events on domestic policy and public service delivery. This time, we were joined by chief executives from across the country, and as expected, the conversation was lively, honest, and deeply engaged.

Rt Hon Baroness Virginia Bottomley DL, Chair of the Odgers Boad Practice, who introduced Simon and chaired the Q&A, deserves special thanks for her energetic and spirited facilitation. The room was buzzing with ideas, challenges, and shared experiences. Towards the end of the evening, we had to threaten guests with washing up duties in order to encourage them out of the building.

Creating Space for Honest Conversation

These dinners reaffirm for us the value of creating space for leaders to think, reflect, debate and connect. They’re more than peer-to-peer networking, there are plenty of existing forums for that, our dinners provide an environment where real issues can be surfaced and discussed, cross sector insights shared and answers proposed and developed as to how we can support political and senior officer leadership through times of uncertainty.

As just two of the many events we host each year across the Firm, they represent a vital part of how we stay connected and contribute to the sector. They also provide the opportunity to share what we’re seeing in adjacent markets: how post-Covid working patterns, strategic partnering and commissioning, economic pressures and uncertainty, and shifting talent dynamics affecting existing and emergent leadership across the board.

We like to think of these evenings as opportunities for our guests not just to dine, but to think for one’s supper. They are a chance for leaders to engage deeply, challenge assumptions, but to leave with renewed clarity and connection.

For further information about our Local Government events, please contact Jonathan Clark.