PSE Podcast

Discover how artificial intelligence is revolutionising the public sector in our latest episode! Join a panel of experts as they discuss the challenges and opportunities AI presents for government services. Learn about the importance of data management, building trust, and ethical considerations in deploying AI solutions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In our latest episode, we tackle the critical issue of digital inclusion and the urgent need for equal access to technology in the UK. With over 11 million people digitally excluded, our expert panel discusses the challenges and innovative solutions being implemented to bridge this gap. Discover how local authorities and communities are working together to foster a more inclusive digital future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the latest episode of the Public Sector Executive podcast, Nadeem Khan, a team leader at the housing charity Shelter joined host Dan Benn to discuss the critical issue of possession and eviction notices.With over a decade of experience, Nadeem shed light on the alarming rise in homelessness due to increasing housing costs and a shortage of affordable homes.Nadeem explained that possession and eviction are often the primary reasons people seek help from Shelter. He emphasised the emotional turmoil that accompanies these situations, with many clients feeling anxious, overwhelmed, and even angry as they face the prospect of losing their homes. Understanding the emotional impact is crucial for housing professionals, as it allows them to provide not just practical advice but also emotional support to clients.Throughout the discussion, Nadeem explored typical scenarios clients might face, such as receiving a notice from a landlord or dealing with rent arrears. Nadeem highlighted the importance of knowing one's rights and options in these situations. He provided insights into the steps professionals should take when advising clients, including fact-finding to assess the individual's circumstances and rights to emergency housing.A significant part of the conversation focuses on the distinction between possession and eviction. Nadeem clarified that while possession is a court ruling requiring a tenant to vacate their home, eviction occurs when the tenant does not leave by the specified date. This distinction is crucial, as it opens up avenues for negotiation and potential delays in the eviction process, allowing clients more time to find solutions.Emergency housing is another key topic discussed. Nadeem explained that local authorities provide emergency accommodation for those who are legally homeless, but the reality of this housing can often be stark. Many clients find themselves in cramped conditions, far from their support networks, which can exacerbate their already difficult situations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In today's fast-paced world, the ability to negotiate effectively is more crucial than ever. Whether you're in the public sector, private industry, or simply trying to strike a deal at home, the principles of negotiation remain the same. In our latest podcast episode, we have the privilege of hosting Andy Archibald, a senior consultant at Scotwork, who sheds light on the art and science of negotiation.Andy brings a wealth of experience, having worked across the energy and utility sectors, as well as at the City of Edinburgh Council. His insights into negotiation are not only practical but also transformative. One of the key highlights of our discussion is Scotwork's eight-step negotiation process, a tried-and-tested framework that can be applied across various negotiation contexts.Preparation, as Andy points out, is the cornerstone of effective negotiation. Without thorough preparation, negotiators risk entering discussions without a clear strategy, leading to unsatisfactory outcomes. Andy shares a compelling story of a group that focused too heavily on numbers during preparation, neglecting other crucial aspects of negotiation. His advice? Move beyond spreadsheets and consider all elements that could impact the negotiation process.As we look ahead to the implementation of the Procurement Act 2023, Andy highlights the significant changes it will bring to public sector negotiations. With increased flexibility and freedom, public sector negotiators must be equipped with the right skills and knowledge to maximise value in their deals. Andy's experience in the public sector and with public sector clients underscores the importance of investing in negotiation training to navigate these changes effectively.Throughout the episode, Andy provides invaluable tips on avoiding common pitfalls in negotiation, such as getting stuck in circular debates or making non-specific proposals. By focusing on constructive dialogue and clear, specific proposals, negotiators can steer discussions towards successful outcomes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The world is becoming an increasingly hostile place. With foreign nations often entering the headlines as they breach the cyber security of organisations, it is imperative that government continues to develop its cyber security capabilities.One of the best ways to go about doing this is by ensuring that systems are secure by design, and in order to learn more about this process, host Dan Benn spoke to cyber security expert George Bathurst. Over the course of more than thirty years, George's career has taken him to some of the world's biggest and most famous companies, and has recently seen him heading up Ministry of Defence's transition to secure by design.George commented on the importance of following the secure by design model, saying:“For many years, we've seen projects that have just been getting started and they've already been hacked. The development servers and things like that have been breached and… whereas three months ago you had a month to respond to a new zero day bug being discovered, with AI now you've got just a few hours.”Moving on to what leaders can do to support secure by design development, George explained:“Everybody is responsible, but there's a danger of that becoming meaningless because if everybody's responsible, nobody's responsible. Therefore, what management can do is identify the right people across the organisation – not just in the IT silo – who are responsible for certain types of security or making sure a project is delivered, and make sure that they understand and have the training to do that.”To learn more about the importance of secure by design in the modern world, listen to the latest episode of the Public Sector Executive podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 64 of the PSE Podcast sees Sajeeda Rose, Chief Executive of Nottingham City Council, joining host Dan Benn to talk about her local government background, what the future holds for the city of Nottingham, and the importance of collaboration with the rest of the East Midlands.Playing a core role in the establishment of the East Midlands Combined County Authority, Sajeeda told Dan about the opportunity that is on offer for the region, saying:“I believe that the establishment of a combined authority for the East Midlands is a hugely exciting opportunity for the whole region. As a region, we've had significant underinvestment for many years and the establishment of a combined authority is to level that playing field in terms of bringing in significant investment for growing the regional economy.”Looking at Nottingham more specifically, Sajeeda also spoke about the opportunities there are for regeneration and growth for the city:“We're one of the few cities that are already starting to rethink how we repurpose our city centres to become spaces that are used for multiple reasons, for living, for retail, for leisure and for jobs so it's hugely exciting. It's game-changing in the sense that it's the start of what I would imagine lots of other places will go through in terms of change for the future.”You can hear more about Sajeeda's experiences by listening to the full episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It would be naïve to say that major infrastructure projects in the UK have a successful history of being delivered on time and on budget. Whilst there are many good examples of projects that have been successful in this way, the UK is still underperforming when it comes to delivery, with one of the most notable examples – the High Speed 2 rail link – still causing controversy seven years on from its commencement. In order to explore why major infrastructure projects are failing, and how the issue can be resolved, MIGSO-PCUBED's David Whitmore joined us on the latest episode of the PSE Podcast. David outlined the evidence that exists to support claims that the nation is underperforming when it comes to infrastructure, saying:“There's quite a bit of evidence, unfortunately. Probably the main piece of evidence is that the Infrastructure and Projects Authority carries out an annual review of the performance of public sector projects in the public interest, and we've seen consistently over the 10-12 years that they've been doing that review, more red in the performance of the projects and less green.“It's not just that our baseline performance is worse than it was 25 years ago, it would appear to be getting worse every year.”David was also asked about the UK's place in the world, and whether an inability to deliver major infrastructure projects was a UK-specific issue. Bringing in the example of the far-east, David said:“For me, it's very much a UK issue – you might argue it's a western world issue.“If you take the example of the civil nuclear programme, that – for me- is probably the starkest example… About 2007 we embarked on a new nuclear programme to build 16 gigawatts of additional capacity; around the same time, the UAE started a programme to build four nuclear reactors. No contest, we've got 100,000 engineers and we've built loads of nuclear reactors, clearly we're going to win that race.“But here we stand today, we've built zero gigawatts out of that 16, two of the three projects that started have failed and are no longer in existence… yet in the UAE – using Far East partners and forming relationships with South Korean companies – they've built their four reactors.”To learn more about how major infrastructure projects can be delivered successfully, listen to the latest episode of the PSE Podcast now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Whilst not necessarily one of the ‘big ticket' items that councils are responsible for, the importance of highways cannot be understated. Providing a vital way of getting people to their jobs, their appointments, and their families, roads are integral to most aspects of everyday life in 2024.Despite this, there continue to be issues with roads that should not be happening. When was the last time you saw a pothole? It was probably recently.This is because many councils are without the adequate resources, expertise, or partner to ensure that they can make long-term improvements to their highways. On the latest episode of the Public Sector Executive Podcast, host Dan Benn was joined by Wrekin Product's Dave Sanders and IKO Road's Alistair Puddick, to discuss how local authorities can make sure that pesky pothole problems can be solved and highways improved in the long-term.Talking about the challenges that councils face when they're going about making road improvements and fixing potholes, Alistair said:“We've seen that, from 2021, we were looking at £10 billion just to get the roads back up to a maintainable standard. That's sitting in April 2024 at £16.3 billion. So the situation is only going one way and will probably, in the next couple of years, exceed the £20 billion mark if there isn't a change in what authorities are doing.”Dave also explained why it is important for authorities to change the way they think about highway and maintenance, saying:“For us, certainly, our message to LCRIG members – and any local authority that's willing to listen – is that it's changing that mindset from looking at the cost today, to looking at the cost over ten years…… It's about education for the guys in the local authorities to understand what products are good, what good looks like, and understand the dynamics to products when they get trafficked in the highway.”To hear more from Dave and Alistair on how local authorities can make the right decisions when it comes to highways and maintenance, listen to the full episode now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There have been countless conversations about how to improve transport in the north of England in recent times, with the cancellation of HS2 removing an important potential transport link to the south, and subsequent discussions about improved road and rail connections between the north's most important cities.Discussing some of the most important aspects relating to the futureproofing of transport in the north of England, some of the challenges involved, and how Transport for the North are supporting this drive, TfN's Head of Major Roads Owen Wilson joined host Dan Benn on the Public Sector Executive Podcast.When looking into the future of transport, Owen was asked the introduction of new technology, and how it can support transport improvement. Answering by touching on the future of tech, Owens said:“No-one can predict the future can they? That brings me onto the need actually not to be fixated on a particular future, or how that's going to pan out… We need to be adaptable and flexible and plan for different scenarios in terms of the uptake of technology, but also how that impacts people's behaviours.“It's a bit of a cliché, but the smartphone has really changed the way people behave in the last two decades. Thirty years ago could that have been predicted?“So, we need to be adaptable and flexible to changing technologies.”Transport systems around the UK, especially in the north, have seen their fair share of challenges in recent years. Owen expanded on some of challenges faced by authorities, and what can be done to help organisations overcome them, saying:“Policy certainty is critical. We've seen a bit of chopping and changing over recent years in terms of policy and investment in transport, so it's really important to have greater certainty in terms of what the ambitions and outcomes we're aiming for are.“I think the critical challenge is reshaping how we appraise investment in transport in the future.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transport, as an enabler, can play an integral role in many of the priorities that government of all levels are trying to achieve. Whether it is connecting communities to the services that their lives revolve around, or bringing trade into economic centres, the transport network is an important place to start.Chief Executive of Transport East, Andrew Summers, spoke to host Dan Benn about the organisations Annual Review for 2023-2024, commenting on achievements, goals, and some stumbling blocks that have been encountered in the region.Expanding on the importance of transport in driving improvement around the country, Andrew said:“Transport is ultimately one of a number of enablers that support economic growth, a better environment and better outcomes for society, and indeed, part of our transport strategy was to try to articulate what those priorities were for us, and to then determine how we went about our work.”Considering the makeup of the East as a region, Andrew also touched upon the importance of keeping rural communities connected to both each other, and to the economic hubs nearby, saying:“One in three people in the East live in a rural community, and for us that's about 1.2 million people. So that's a significant amount of our population.“We've done a lot of analysis about their accessibility and it's pretty concerning. Two thirds of those live in what we class as a transport desert – that is, they have no access to education, training, skills, work by any means apart from the private car – and we have explored this a bit further. This creates significant transport-related social exclusion.”To hear more from Andrew on the successes and challenges of being responsible for transport developments in one of the most rural regions of the country, as well as what the future holds for transport in the East, listen to the latest episode of the PSE Podcast now.

At the beginning of July, it was announced that we would be getting a Labour government for the first time since the Conservatives won the 2010 General Election. This saw Sir Keir Starmer become Prime Minister, replacing Rishi Sunak – who subsequently announced his intention to step down as Leader of the Conservative Party.In the short space of time since they came into power, the new government has been getting to work to deliver on some of its key priorities, including furthering devolution, prioritising clean energy, and nationalising our railways. But what does this mean for local government?On hand to answer that question, and reflect on the results of the general election was Cllr Sam Chapman-Allen, Chair of the District Council Network, who joined host Dan Benn on the 59th episode of the Public Sector Executive Podcast.When discussing what would be on his wishlist for the new government, and its relationship with local government, Chapman-Allen said:“We've had a good relationship with government, but actually we've seen external pressures outside of the UK Government's control – which has either slowed programmes and activities, or caused activities to be paused because other programmes have taken that attention. Actually, we need a grown-up conversation around certain areas, such as asylum and immigration so we will ensure that that those individuals who comes to England are provided safe, appropriate homes and housing….“I think the second part is around our finances and making sure we actually have a robust conversation, understanding where their appetite is to support local government on the day-to-day expenditure, but also where is our appetite to support some of those big intervention pieces around regeneration, levelling up…?”To hear more from Sam on how the new government can work alongside councils, and how this changing of the guard can bring benefits to communities, listen to the latest episode of the PSE Podcast now.

Artificial intelligence is one of the most exciting technology developments in recent times.Whilst it has seemingly endless possible uses across a number of sectors, AI can also bring major improvements for local authorities. To discuss the potential benefits, risks and challenges of authorities utilising artificial intelligence, Kent County Council's Fil Kamps joined host Dan Benn for the latest episode of the PSE Podcast.Discussing some of the benefits of AI for the public sector, especially when it comes to productivity and efficiency which has been a hot topic in recent months, Fil said:“There's a number of benefits to the customers and residents of these organisations… the end users will benefit. I think the primary way they'll feel it is actually not the most obvious; it's the changes to backend processes that will improve delivery times against services, the processing of requests that come in.“AI is helping to improve and streamline a lot of those processes in the backend whilst keeping human decision making at its core.”Fil also touched upon the skills that the public sector workforce might need as it embraces AI, saying:“I think we started to see this shift in public sector workforces when Covid hit and everything went from being in person in the office, to being online and digital… That change in working practices really placed an emphasis on people's ability to pick up technology and to have a decent level of digital literacy to be able to work in a public sector organisation.” To hear more from Fil about how organisations across the sector can use AI to drive major improvement, as well as some of challenges that may be faced along the AI journey, listen to the latest episode of the Public Sector Executive Podcast now.

Digitalisation is a big part of the future of the public sector, however organisations need to make sure that their digital ambitions don't leave communities lagging behind, or unable to access the services they need.Discussing how organisations across the sector can transform digitally, bring communities with them, and his career in digital inclusion, Cambridgeshire County Council's Will Plant joined host Dan Benn on the latest episode of the Public Sector Executive Podcast.

Decision making is a crucial part of leading in any industry, never mind the public sector. With decisions being made that can have life changing consequences for entire communities it is vital that leaders are accountable, able to make decisions under pressure, and able to foresee the challenges that they might face in the future.To talk about making decisions under pressure, the journey that the organisation has been on, and his personal career, Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service's Mark Smyth joined host Dan Benn on the latest episode of the Public Sector Executive Podcast.Talking about some of the challenges that the fire and rescue service faces over the course of the next year, Mark said: “There's many major threats when you start to look at the national risk registers and you look at dealing with climate change. We're getting more flooding, we're getting longer periods of wetness. You're starting to see the large wildfires and gorse fires that hit the Southeast of England last year.”Challenges don't stop with climate change, however, as Mark expanded: “There's challenges in and around the operational side of our culture and changing, that's major for us. You'll know that financially and under budget restraints that we have in the world we're in now, there's really big challenges around that, and providing the service that the public want with the limited financial resources we have.”To learn more about the type of training that is available for councillors, why it is so important, and the role that central government can play, listen to the newest episode of the Public Sector Executive Podcast.

Ensuring that councillors are equipped with the proper skills is essential to making sure that council services run smoothly, and communities benefit from the best value for money. Whilst this may seem like a simple concept, some councils don't train their councillors take councillor training as serious as they perhaps should.To explore more about the kinds of skills that councillors should be developing, why some councils don't offer the right training, and how this impacts councils themselves, Cllr Liz Green joined host Dan Benn on the latest episode of the Public Sector Executive Podcast.Speaking about the kind of training that councillors require, Liz said:“Being a counsellor is very different to anything anybody's ever done before in their life. So, even if you've been highly successful in business, you're still going to need to learn some new skills; things like negotiating and conflict resolution…“Councils can't do anything by themselves because they need to work with the public sector, the private sector, and with the voluntary sector and you need to be able to influence those in a different way because you are not the direct boss – you can't tell them what to do.”Liz also touched on the issue of productivity within the public sector, and how this relates to skills and funding. She said:“I was a counsellor before we started austerity in 2010 – it never felt like we had a lot of money to start with so I think we did some improvements in councils. We looked more at our budgets and we scrutinised them more…“We also did more transformation, which is a buzzword at the moment, but improving services, looking at how we used it, how we used our resources of people and assets and builds etc. So I think there was some really good work that went on.“It's gone way too far now. We just simply cannot afford as councils to keep operating.”To learn more about the type of training that is available for councillors, why it is so important, and the role that central government can play, listen to the newest episode of the Public Sector Executive Podcast.

21st century problems require 21st century solutions, and nowhere proves this as effectively as the public sector. Whether its using the latest technology to guide policy decisions, or simply making the sector more environmentally friendly, digital and data offer the answers to many of the questions being asked of public sector organisations.Martin Dolce and Dan Westley, from Oracle UK, joined host Dan Benn to talk about the work that Oracle are doing to support cloud, data, and digitisation progress across government. Martin is the Sales Director for Public Sector; Central Government and Defence, whilst also being UK Regional Director for the North West, whilst Dan is Cloud Engineering Director at Oracle.Offering a wealth of knowledge, Martin and Dan were on hand to talk about how Oracle Cloud can support the ambitions of organisations across central government, including by helping them through major projects. Touching on one of the projects that Oracle embarked on with a major government department, Martin said:“We engaged with the Department for Work and Pensions about 18 months ago. They had a stated objective around their journey to cloud; they had about 30% of the business in the cloud and 70% on prem(ises) and they wanted to flip that around.“But they recognised that a lot of their real core applications, that touch us all today… were still on Oracle legacy software and they had deferred upgrading that platform because they were challenged on budget, and so that rolled on and on and they were in a position where there wasn't a natural migration path…”By approaching Oracle, the Department was able to embark on a journey of transformation that ended up with a successful migration, whilst also building confidence within the department.To hear all about how Oracle has supported organisations ranging from central government organisations, to one of the world's most successful Formula One teams, listen to the latest episode of the Public Sector Executive Podcast.

Devolution is offering regions the opportunity to control more of the decisions that are being made locally, with communities reaping the benefits of every combined authority that pops up around the country. Established in March 2017, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough is one of the most recently established combined authorities and it follows in the footsteps of areas such as Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, and the Liverpool City Region.For the 53rd episode of the Public Sector Executive Podcast, Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Dr Nik Johnson, spoke to host Dan Benn about some of the most important issues facing his region, as well as what drives him as a leader.Touching on the impact that pride in a region can play in economic growth, Dr Johnson said:“If you can build up a framework of a sense of pride, identity, then business comes. There are a lot of examples where the culture – and the culture is of many things, it goes across the digital industry, across the arts – drives the economy…”Another topic of discussion was the emphasis that the mayor places on combating climate change, with his role as a paediatrician influencing this:“I have done my role as a doctor easily over 30 years and in the last 20 years, when I've been a consultant, I've been able to diagnose and treat children with respiratory conditions and can given them the best medicines in the world. The real sin here is that it doesn't matter that I can give them the best medicine, it doesn't matter that I can diagnose it, I know that if they live next to busy roads or if they live in poor housing – all of these things, in recent times have been shown through tragic situations of child deaths… are not acceptable…“(I work) day in day out to make sure that all the officers at the combined authority realise the importance of putting public health, as well as the importance of air quality, the environment, at the heart of all policy development.”To hear more about the role that Dr Nik Johnson plays as a medical professional and a local government leader, listen to the latest episode of the Public Sector Executive Podcast.

The state of council finances is one of the most pressing issues across the public sector right now.As councils face bankruptcy, cut funding and reduced services, and the demands for those services from communities pile on the pressure, the government is set to announce its budget for the next financial year.In the 52nd episode of the Public Sector Executive Podcast Cllr Pete Marland joins host Dan Benn to discuss the challenges that councils face.  Pete is Chair of the LGA's Economy and Resources Board and Leader of Milton Keynes Council  Touching on the increase in demand for social care services, Pete said:“More or less for every ten pounds they (councils) collect, they now spend eight pounds on children's social care and adult social care. Obviously what that means is that there's only two pounds left for everything else that councils do.”Pete and Dan also explored the point of local government if councils aren't given power to make local decisions, with Pete saying:“Ultimately, I think there becomes a fundamental question about what the point of local government is if you end up just delivering statutory services set from the middle and not having any local flavour to it.“What's the point in local elections if all a local leader has to do every morning is get up and deliver statutory children's care and not concentrate on what's right for Manchester, or Lincolnshire, or wherever it may be.”To hear from a leading voice within local government, listen to the latest episode of the Public Sector Executive Podcast.

It is the role of local government leaders to make the decisions that will best deliver for the communities that they represent. That much is obvious.How can they do this, however, if they are not accurately representative of those very communities?Great strides have been made in ensuring that everyone, regardless of their ethnicity, race, gender, or social class is represented in some way within local government. Chief Executive of Westminster City Council Stuart Love joins host Dan Benn to talk about why this work is important, the different work that is being done in Westminster, and how his background influences his stance on equality and diversity.Touching on his leadership model, Stuart said:“I do wear my heart on my sleeve as a leader, and that's not for everybody. I get that. I don't think that there's a one-size-fits-all approach to this.“The most important thing for me, though, is this has got to be led by the people at the top of the organisation… The whole thing around EDI (equality, diversity, and inclusion) is not something that can be farmed out to somewhere else.”Stuart also discussed how success in diversity and inclusion can be measured within the public sector:“The public sector is not very good at talking about why this is such an important thing. But if you look at the changes in our organisation, that fact that our organisation is now much more representative of our communities… the organisation has increased by 10% in terms of our global majority staff over the last six years.“That means we've gone from being around 32% to now 42% of our organisation and, because of that, we have much greater resident satisfaction and residents feel more engaged.”To make sure you get Stuart's expert insight on such a key issue for leaders around the country, listen to Episode 51 of the Public Sector Executive Podcast.

In the 50th episode of the Public Sector Executive Podcast, Leader of the East Riding of Yorkshire Council Cllr Anne Handley talks about the upcoming devolution deal for the region and what it can bring to East Yorkshire.Councillor Handley delved into the potential that East Yorkshire holds, ongoing transport issues and, touching on just how important the deal is for the region, said:“It's really important. We are the last part of Yorkshire to actually have any kind of deal…“…We need the funding like everybody else, and why shouldn't we have it?”Whilst discussing some of the challenges that the deal poses, including the consultation around it, Cllr Handley added:“We need to let as many people know as we possibly can, and do some myth-busting, explain what the positives of this will be and get the local residents on board so that they're talking about it and know about it. There's a job to be done to start with because you say the word combined authority and it's such a misnomer.“I really wish it wasn't in purely and simply because we're not combining.”To hear more about the devolution deal for East Yorkshire, listen to the latest episode of the Public Sector Executive Podcast.

On the latest episode of the Public Sector Executive Podcast, Councillor Amanda Hopgood joins host Dan Benn to discuss the devolution deal that has been secured for the North East of England.As the Leader of Durham County Council, Amanda is brilliantly placed to talk about all of the main facets of such an important deal, especially with £4.2 billion of investment coming into the region. Speaking on this investment, Amanda said:“[It's] absolutely immense for a region like ours that sadly, on many of the indexes and scales, is top of all the wrong ones. Where we can make huge inroads is around adult education, housing, jobs, and health, all of which will hopefully change aspirations and the future of our residents in a positive way.“That, for me, is the most important thing that we're doing here. Bringing that power and money to local decision-makers who know what the residents in the North East need. We know what skills we need, as opposed to someone in Whitehall or Westminster telling us.”Speaking about some of the potential challenges of the devolution deal, Amanda went on to say:“Most people are sceptical of another tier of possible bureaucracy in local government, so the biggest challenge we have is to make sure that, when the mayor - whoever they may be - is elected next year, we hit the ground running and have some things that can be delivered quickly so people see the benefit.”To find out more about the exciting possibilities of this devolution deal, as well as some of the real challenges that councils in the North East face, listen to the latest Public Sector Executive Podcast.

As central government aims for the UK to be net zero by 2050, councils around the country make plans for how to reduce emissions. This episode's guest, Oldham's Councillor Abdul Jabbar outlines the importance of coming together to reduce the nation's carbon footprint, the benefits of achieving net zero, and how Oldham Council are working to do just that.Touching on the role that the public sector can play in sustainability, Cllr Jabbar said:“I think it's really important that the public sector gives true leadership in this space. I think something like one third of the carbon emissions in the country come from the public sector, so obviously we're a big polluter in terms of the emissions.”Councillor Jabbar also spoke about challenges being faced by organisations:“I think the biggest one has been finance. Clearly the local government sector in particular has had its grants cut from central government by a huge amount and that's had a very big impact in terms of our plans to take forward projects in relation to climate change, so that's a major issue.”To hear what Cllr Jabbar has to say about the mission to achieve net zero carbon emissions, listen to the latest episode of the Public Sector Executive Podcast.

The Leader of Liverpool City Council Liam Robinson spoke to PSE's Dan Benn about the importance of transport links being decided locally, the homelessness crisis that is only worsening across the country, the financial pressure that many councils find themselves under and lots more.Speaking about the cancellation of HS2, Liam said: “I think we've found the process predominantly over the course of the last six to seven years very, very frustrating with the way that the North of England, particularly big cities like Liverpool, haven't been equal partners in the conversation, the planning and the delivery of that. The way that Rishi Sunak decided to, sort of, obliterate the plans we found was completely and utterly unacceptable.”

In 2020, most of the world stopped. People were forced to stay at home and many people were furloughed.This episode's guest, however, was thrown into the forefront of the government's response to to the Covid-19 pandemic, leading the tracing system and working alongside local and central government bodies.Host Dan Benn is joined by Tom Riordan, Chief Executive of Leeds City Council, to discuss loyalty, the pressures of Covid-19, and the importance of transport to a city like Leeds.

In this episode of the Public Sector Executive Podcast, host Dan Benn is joined by Martin Cresswell (Chair of the Lampton Group) and Shantanu Rajawat (Leader of London Borough of Hounslow Council) as they discuss the importance of innovation in the public sector.Shantanu, Martin and Dan also touch on the topic of Local Authority Trading Companies, their effectiveness, and how they support innovation and development.

On episode 44 of the Public Sector Executive Podcast, host Dan Benn was joined by former Lord Mayor of Manchester, Carl Austin-Behan OBE. Carl spoke about everything ranging from his time in the RAF, being Manchester's first openly gay Lord Mayor, and the important work he does now, with the LGBT Foundation.Speaking on his time in the Royal Air Force, Carl said “they just sat me down and said ‘ do you have homosexual tendencies?' In that split second I had to make my decision, whether I was going to be true to myself and this was the moment where I could be, or I could lie.“I think If I'd said no, the Air Force would have been like ‘thank you very much, we just had to ask' but they asked again, and I burst into tears.”Carl also touched on the improvements that have been made in workplaces, since that time, saying that “Because of the way that a lot of organisations have moved on, I think they also realise that they've got to treat the LGBTQ community in their workforce, with respect. Also, we've now got things like LGBT History Month, which we never used to have, and everyone knows about.“It does frustrate me sometimes because, if you're a business or organisation that are bringing people in to do a talk – which is great, but it doesn't have to just be during LGBT History Month or Pride Month. For me, permanent visibility is permanent acceptance.”

On episode 43 of the Public Sector Executive Podcast, Lucy Trueman, Managing Director of Trueman Change, joined host Dan Benn to discuss all things relating to organisational culture.Lucy touched on everything from how to identify the culture within your organisation and how to be aware of the messages you are sending to other employees, to the shifting culture of the modern workplace. Touching on how to work on changing a culture's organisation, Lucy said:"Step one is definitely to get awareness of it and that awareness needs to come from staff, from customers, and from other people. It doesn't just come from the leadership team."To hear more from an expert in organisational change, make sure that you listen to the Public Sector Executive Podcast.

Conservative borough councillor, 19-year-old Harrison Allman-Varty. They discussed the importance of politics to young people, his priorities, and taking a common-sense approach to planning. “I think conservative councillors are in a tricky position.” Harrison said when talking about one thing that he regards as one of the most important things for councillors to do.“They're in a tricky position because they want to protect the green belt as a fundamental thing and they want to conserve those spaces, but the conservative party also embodies the whole entrepreneurial homeownership, buy your own home. The two actually struggle to go hand in hand.“I think what that means, when it comes to planning, is that there's got to be a bit of give and take.”To hear more from the next generation of local government leaders and gain important insight into some of the most pressing public sector issues in 2023, make sure that you listen to the Public Sector Voices podcast.

In this episode of the PSE Podcast, host Dan Benn talks to Shailen Popat, Director of the Msc in Public Management at the University of Birmingham, about what it takes to educate the future workforce of the public sector.

In the 40th episode of the Public Sector Executive Podcast, host Dan Benn spoke to Cllr James Jamieson about all things local government.As Chairman of the Local Government Association, James took us through some of the most pressing issues being faced by local government at the moment including the housing crisis, meeting housing targets, achieving net zero carbon emissions, and issues with a lack of funding impacting the services that councils provide. Speaking about the effort councils are making to continue providing for their communities despite dwindling funding, James said:“Every council is doing its damnedest to support its residents. No two places are alike and that means that the pressures that different places face are different.”To hear James' expert insight into the struggles being faced by local councils in 2023, as well as other insightful guests, make sure you tune into the Public Sector Executive Podcast.

The public sector, naturally, holds immense amounts of data to help make informed decisions on how to deliver key services for people. With these huge amounts of information, spread across different departments and all levels of governance, it is clear to see where there may be issues with how data is shared around. Considering the sheer amount of the data available, there are many barriers that will stop departments easily sharing data around. James explained some of these barriers, saying:“During the pandemic, sharing data became more important than ever, as you can well imagine. One thing that it shone a light on was the complexities of doing so. Access restrictions and boundaries between organisations have always posed challenges for onward sharing of data and analysis of data, and analysts working within government have often had to navigate complex legal frameworks and isolated working.”Not only does there need to be a solution that effectively allows access to the data in a way that helps users interpret it so they can make a decision, it also needs to remain secure due to the nature of the data involved. This security element intrinsically has a link to a change in the data-sharing culture of government departments. 

In Episode 38 of Public Sector Executive's Public Sector Voices podcast, Chris Cromar spoke to Cambridgeshire County Councillor, Councillor Alex Bulat about her campaign to allow non-British (non-EU/Commonwealth) citizens the right to vote in local elections.

In Episode 37 of Public Sector Executive's Public Sector Voices podcast, Chris Cromar spoke to Managing Director and Founder of Trueman Change, Lucy Trueman about how her organisation can help make meaningful change happen in the public sector.

In Episode 36 of Public Sector Executive's Public Sector Voices podcast, Chris Cromar spoke to the Welsh Local Government Association's (WLGA) Equalities Spokesperson, Cllr Jane Mudd about the need for greater diversity in Wales' councils.

In Episode 35 of Public Sector Executive's Public Sector Voices podcast, Chris Cromar spoke to the President of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) about their calls for councillors in Scotland to be paid the real Living Wage.

In Episode 34 of Public Sector Executive's Public Sector Voices podcast, Chris Cromar spoke to Angela Lewis (Director of People Transformation) and Michelle Wall (Director of Finance and Commercial & Executive Lead for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) about the culture at Companies House and how it is inspiring their staff.

On episode 33 of Public Sector Voices, our host Chris Cromar spoke to Daisy Penford, Head of Sports and Physcial Activity at CSSC Sports & Leisure about the organisation's Active Wellbeing campaign.

In Episode 32, Chris Cromar spoke to Louise Smyth (Chief Executive, Registrar of Companies, Interim Regulator of Community Interest Companies - Companies House) and Martin Swain (Director of Strategy, Policy and External Communications - Companies House) about how Companies House drives confidence in the UK economy.

“Often, the legacy of a leader is talked about in terms of their achievements. However, in public services, the job is never done.“You constantly strive towards your goal for a better service, a better life or a better experience for people who you serve. You can only do that effectively if you drive a culture where others can develop to the best of their potential.”That was the view of Rajesh Nadkarni, Executive Medical Director at Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne & Wear NHS Foundation Trust, as he discussed with host Matt Roberts the advice he would offer fellow leaders having undertaken the NLC Accelerate Programme.Joined by Tosca Fairchild, Delivery Director for Equality & Health Inequalities and Intensive Support for the East of England at NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSE/I), it was clear despite such different journeys to their current positions, there was a consensus of desire to improve their skills not only for their own benefits, but the benefits of their colleagues, organisations, and service users equally too.That dictates a strong, conscientious public service leader and is one of the end targets of the NLC Accelerate Programme, which has striven to provide the skills and environment necessary to encourage and develop these skills within their cohort.With the NLC Accelerate Programme now open to new applicants for the 2021/22 cohort, both Rajesh,Tosca and the other participants of this four-part miniseries strongly recommended that leaders consider the benefits the NLC could offer.Tosca explained: “The network that we've created, through being part of the programme, is going to be in my view invaluable for all 20 of us on this programme.“As we go forward, we have been introduced to people that we would not ordinarily have come across, we will have action learning sets and people to call upon when, as leaders, things get tough and you need to run something past someone.“We now have a network of people that I know with confidence, I can pick up the phone and say ‘Rajesh, I've got this in mind, can I have a conversation with you to help me?' [and they'll support me with that].”The NLC Accelerate Programme brings together 20 high-performing ethnic minority leaders from across public services, who are currently working at Deputy CEO level and aiming to become CEO-level leaders within their respective fields.Applications for the new 2021/22 cohort of the NLC Accelerate are open until September 24, 2021. Those keen to take part in this year's course can register their interest here.

Most of us can identify the qualities that make a good public sector leader, but what turns a good leader into a great one? In particular, what can we learn from other leaders around us to help take advantage of opportunities and deliver greater services to the public?As part of our four-part podcast miniseries with the National Leadership Centre (NLC), Public Sector Executive is delving deeper into what helps make a great leader'.Joining host Matt Roberts on the podcast, Parveen Yaqoob, Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Reading and Shantha Dickinson, Deputy Chief Fire Officer, discuss their leadership journeys and the experiences that helped propel them forward in their careers.  For Parveen, there was one particular moment which represented a turning point in her career progression.“About five or six years ago, I was asked to take part in a STEM event for Year 9 girls. I was one of six role models, women representing different areas in STEM, and at the start of the event the facilitator asked each of us to stand up and explain why we were there. I stood up and found myself saying that there weren't enough women in senior positions in universities and I wanted to see change.“As soon as the words were out of my mouth, it just hit me like a thunderbolt. I realised I couldn't say something like that, and yet have no intention of doing anything about it.”That drove Parveen to make the most of opportunities, and to help guide and support others to come through too. But equally, it also taught her to take pride in her achievements and recognise the success she had achieved in her career, and how she could then turn that into a shareable experience for others.There are many different ways that a leader can go from having a good career to a great one, with guests Parveen and Shantha's very different experiences demonstrating as much, but one thing comes across immediately clear: the growth of a great leader doesn't just benefit themselves, but it benefits everyone across their organisation and in the case of the NLC Accelerate delegates, it benefits the recipients of the public service their organisations provideListen to the full discussions with Shantha and Parveen and discover what truly took them to that next stage of personal, professional, and collaborative success, and how the NLC Accelerate Programme has impacted their leadership journeys.The NLC Accelerate Programme brings together 20 high-performing ethnic minority leaders from across public services, who are currently working at Deputy CEO level and aiming to become CEO-level leaders within their respective fields.Applications for the new 2021/22 cohort of the NLC Accelerate are open until September 24, 2021. Those keen to take part in this year's course can register their interest here.

As ethnic minority leaders, there have been many barriers and challenges to overcome to reach the career heights that our guests from the NLC Accelerate Programme have done, and in the second of our four-part miniseries with the National Leadership Centre (NLC), we hear about some of these challenges and how the delegates have managed to surmount them.Joined by Mohit Venkataram, Executive Commercial Director at East London Foundation Trust, and Acosia Nyanin, Regional Chief Nurse for the South East at NHS England & NHS Improvement (NHSE/I), our host Matt Roberts was able to delve into some of the root experiences and explore very honest, candid answers from the guests.One of the biggest elements, and one which the NLC Accelerate Programme was able to directly intervene and help with, was the construction of strong, valuable networks of like-minded, driven public leaders; leaders who often otherwise might not have crossed paths.Through both the building of connections among the course cohort, and the implementation of a mentor system, the NLC Accelerate delegates were able to connect, learn and share in confidence.As Mohit explained: “I think it's often felt that one is alone in the room. It has felt like that for a long time.“It is incredibly important to feel in your heart that you have a network, where you can bounce off ideas and where you can feel comfortable, and there's a safe space to have an open discussion.“The pandemic made a difference. It taught us that our strength comes in being a group, a collective and in not competing with each other but recognising the experiences we bring in together as a group which makes a difference to the lives of people that we are here to serve.”Listen to the full conversation with Mohit and Acosia and discover how these two inspirational public sector leaders have overcome barriers and challenges in their career, with the support of the NLC Accelerate Programme,The NLC Accelerate Programme brings together 20 high-performing ethnic minority leaders from across public services, who are currently working at Deputy CEO level and aiming to become CEO-level leaders within their respective fields.Applications for the new 2021/22 cohort of the NLC Accelerate are open until September 24, 2021. Those keen to take part in this year's course can register their interest here.

“It is fundamentally important to work with people, understand what motivates them and what their lived experience has been.”Those were the words of Salma Yasmeen, Executive Director of Strategy and Change at South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, as she joined two of her fellow NLC Accelerate Programme delegates on the first of a four-part miniseries being ran between the National Leadership Centre (NLC) and PSE's Public Sector Voices podcast.For Salma and her fellow Accelerate programme delegates, one of the biggest strengths of the programme was connecting the experiences of a diverse, varied group of public sector leaders to learn from one another and build up valuable connections.One of the ways that was achieved was by sharing people's stories up until then, the challenges and successes they had experienced in their careers and their general feelings within their roles; helping to reveal common sentiments among leaders.Joined on this episode by Gurpreet Jagpal, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Business and Entrepreneurship at the University of Suffolk and Buki Adeyemo, Medical Director and Deputy CEO at North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust, the three fascinating leaders shared their own journeys and experiences up to that point.From experience working in the voluntary sector and in the Middle East, through to a transformative experience in Nigeria, and hard-working summers in their youth, each of the NLC Accelerate Programme members had a unique, rich story to share with our podcast host Matt Roberts.Jump in and listen to the full stories and learn about some of the transformative benefits that the programme has given these rising public sector leaders.The NLC Accelerate Programme brings together 20 high-performing ethnic minority leaders from across public services, who are currently working at Deputy CEO level and aiming to become CEO-level leaders within their respective fields.Applications for the new 2021/22 cohort of the NLC Accelerate are open from September 1-24, 2021. Those keen to take part in this year's course can register their interest here.

On Episode 31 of PSE’s Public Sector Voices podcast, we sat down with Peter Hutt, Environment Manager at OpenSky Data Systems, who specialises in helping local authorities realise this potential.

Lahari Ramuni from Centre for Cities discusses their "High streets recovery tracker", a tool which comprises of several pieces of research measuring how our high streets have coped with Covid.

Cllr Graham Carr-Jones discusses how Dorset Council have used the coronavirus pandemic to put a spotlight on homelessness, something which saw them nominated for PSE's Council of the Month award.

On this week’s episode of Public Sector Voices we are joined by Anna Firth, Councillor on Sevenoaks District Council, and one of the founders of the Invicta Summer Academy.

On this week’s episode of Public Sector Voices we are joined by two key members of the National Association of Local Councils, Chief Executive, Jonathan Owen and Chair Sue Baxter.

On this week’s episode of Public Sector Voices we are joined by Martina Kane, Policy and Engagement Manager, at The Heath Foundation. She is calling for young people’s future & current health to be taken seriously by eliminating stress and uncertainty surrounding work and housing.

On this week’s episode of Public Sector Voices we are joined by Cllr Mandy Clare from Cheshire West and Chester Council. As the Leader’s champion of Poverty and Inequality, she is calling for the full Cabinet to declare a Poverty and Inequality Emergency.

This week’s episode of Public Sector Voices, covers a hydrogen transport revolution, with Centre for Policy Studies researcher, Eamonn Ives.

On this week’s episode of Public Sector Voices, Emily is joined by Sir David Bell, whose career in local government spans almost four decades.