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PODCAST

Truth about Local Government

Where Local Government Professionals Learn and Develop.https://www.truthaboutlocalgovernment.com/#YourGrowth #YourImpact #OurPassion.

government

All Episodes

18:02

Stepping Up, Stepping In: Lessons from Interim...

Truth about Local Government ·

2026/04/13

Interim leadership is often seen as a holding pattern, a bridge between what was and what comes next. But for organisations in transition, an interim chief executive can be a stabiliser, a strategist and a catalyst for clarity.In this episode, Matt Masters speaks with Steve Gibling, Interim Chief Executive of Selwyn District Council and former Interim CEO at Buller District Council, about what it really means to step into the top job on a temporary basis. Drawing on more than 25 years across local

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18:32

ABCD & Beyond: What Local Government Needs Next

Truth about Local Government ·

2026/04/08

In this episode of The Truth About Local Government, we explore a bold new resource reshaping how councils think about community development: ABCD & Beyond: A Practical Guide for Local Government.Matt is joined by two of the book’s authors, Dee Brooks, Director of the Jeder Institute and International Liaison for the ABCD Institute, and Lee Griffiths, community development practitioner, facilitator and systems bridge‑builder. Together, they’ve helped shape Asset‑Based Community Development

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23:15

Managing Conflicting Needs between Neurodivergent...

Truth about Local Government ·

2026/04/08

In this episode, Matt sits down with Parul Singh, Founder of Parallel Minds, a neurodiversity consultancy shaping a more inclusive future for people working in tech and digital roles. Parul brings a rare combination of professional expertise, lived experience, and deep sector insight, challenging organisations to rethink how they support neurodivergent talent and to build environments where every mind can thrive.Together, we explore how employers can better navigate and balance the conflicting needs

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29:02

Inside NW Employers’ New Report: Neurodiversity –...

Truth about Local Government ·

2026/04/08

In this TALG episode, Matt is joined by Kev Collier, Strategic Lead – Learning & Development and Karen Roberts, Business Development Manager from North West Employers and Dr Sarah Crozier, Reader in Occupational Psychology, Department of People and Performance, Faculty of Business and Law, Manchester Metropolitan University to explore their newly released thought‑leadership report: Neurodiversity at Work – Line-managers’ Experiences of Support Provision and Skill Gaps Within North West Local

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16:30

Tracks to Transformation: How Transport and...

Truth about Local Government ·

2026/03/01

Transport infrastructure doesn’t just move people, it moves markets, investment, and ambition. In this episode of Tracks to Transformation, Matt sits down with John Plumridge, former Director of Estates & Facilities at Birmingham City University, to explore how transport and regeneration work together to unlock the economic potential of a place.John shares the inside story of STEAMhouse, one of the UK’s most significant university‑led regeneration projects, and explains how a neglected corner of

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24:41

The Moment That Matters: Matt Masters on Joining OPUS...

Truth about Local Government ·

2026/02/27

This episode of The Truth About Local Government captures a pivotal moment in the evolution of public sector workforce leadership. Ben Dixon, Head of Workforce Solutions, is joined by Matt Masters, the newly appointed Head of Executive Workforce Solutions at OPUS People Solutions, for a candid and energising conversation about purpose, alignment and the future of talent in local government.Matt reflects on the personal and professional journey that led him to OPUS and the wider Vertas Group,

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20:53

Launching the LGR Initiative: Purpose, Partners & the...

Truth about Local Government ·

2026/02/24

In this episode, Matthew Masters sits down with Rowan Cole (COALFACE®) and Professor Amelia Hadfield (Centre for Britain and Europe, University of Surrey) to unpack the launch of the Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) Initiative, a new national partnership designed to reshape the future of local government in England.Matt opens the conversation by exploring why the LGR Initiative has emerged now, at a moment when councils face unprecedented financial pressure, public trust is strained, and the

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20:21

The Cost of Defiance: Local Government vs Sovereign...

Truth about Local Government ·

2026/02/18

In this episode, Matt speaks with David Bainbridge‑Zafar, General Manager of Operations at Gore District Council, New Zealand, about the rising challenge of sovereign citizen ideology in small communities.Gore’s population of 14,000 means the impact is deeply personal: the individuals rejecting government authority aren’t anonymous, they’re neighbours, former colleagues, and long‑standing community members. Their refusal to recognise the legitimacy of councils, police, or the courts has led to

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20:05

Risk, Creativity and Collaboration: Rethinking Urban...

Truth about Local Government ·

2026/02/14

“Risk, Creativity and Collaboration: Rethinking Urban Infrastructure with CIVIC” dives into how engineering can become a catalyst for better, more human‑centred places. Matt Masters sits down with Stephen O’Malley, Chief Executive of CIVIC, to explore how their philosophy of “civility from civil engineering” challenges long‑held conventions in the built environment.In just 20 minutes, Stephen unpacks why intelligent risk‑taking matters, how creativity emerges when disciplines fuse rather than

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19:28

Beyond the Numbers: Why Housing Quality Matters for...

Truth about Local Government ·

2026/02/13

For years, the national housing debate has been dominated by one metric: quantity. How many homes can we build, how quickly, and at what scale. But that fixation on numbers has pushed a more fundamental question into the background, are the homes we build, manage, and retrofit actually good for people’s health?In this episode, Matt Masters is joined by Faye Sanders, Doctoral Researcher in Housing and Health, and Co‑Chair of both the Healthy Homes Research Network and the Housing Studies Association

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19:19

Before the Ballot: What Prospective Councillors Need...

Truth about Local Government ·

2026/02/06

Too many people step into elected office without a clear understanding of what the councillor role really involves, the workload, the emotional labour, the strategic responsibility, and the sheer breadth of services they’ll be accountable for.In this episode Matt sits down with sector leader, trainer, mentor, and long‑serving Kingston councillor Liz Green to explore her 3S model, Stewardship, Strategy, and Support, and why councils should start induction before someone even becomes a

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19:31

Enabling Better Outcomes: RPNA’s SA3 Approach in Bexley

Truth about Local Government ·

2026/02/06

In this episode, the conversation centres on how RPNA is helping councils move beyond traditional transformation pitfalls to deliver better outcomes for residents. Ashley Roper introduces RPNA’s SA3 process, a pro bono strategic assessment tool designed to help local authorities understand their readiness for change and identify the most impactful areas for intervention. The SA3 process was recently piloted with the London Borough of Bexley, where Chief Executive Paul Thorogood shares his

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16:01

Surrey at the Frontline: Leadership, Reorganisation,...

Truth about Local Government ·

2026/02/02

Matt Masters sits down with Tim Oliver, Leader of Surrey County Council, for an in‑depth conversation about Surrey’s transformation journey and what it means to lead one of the country’s most complex local government systems. With Surrey often viewed as the first major test case for large‑scale reorganisation, Tim reflects on the pressures, opportunities, and leadership choices shaping the council’s future. This episode offers a candid look at decision‑making, system change, and the realities of

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22:10

Corporate Landlord in Action: Nottinghamshire’s...

Truth about Local Government ·

2026/01/30

Nottinghamshire County Council has become one of the sector’s standout examples of what a modern, strategic corporate landlord approach can achieve. In this episode, Matt Masters sits down with Wayne Bexton, Director of Economy, Environment and Assets, to unpack how Nottinghamshire has reshaped its estate, accelerated disposals, unlocked capital receipts, and used regeneration as a lever for long‑term place impact.Wayne shares the thinking behind their model, the practical steps that made the

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19:37

Care as a Public Good: Stopping the Drain on Local...

Truth about Local Government ·

2026/01/29

Care in the UK is at a breaking point. With 70% of local authority budgets consumed by care services, rising costs, and profits flowing to private equity and tax havens, the system is failing the people it’s meant to serve. New research from the Centre for Local Economic Strategies, Centre for Thriving Places, Cooperatives UK and the New Economics Foundation reveals that in just three regions, private care providers extracted £256 million in profit over three years, while care workers,

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22:01

Beyond the Blueprint: Why Behaviour Matters in Change...

Truth about Local Government ·

2026/01/23

In this episode, we tackle a critical but often overlooked aspect of change management in local government: the human element. We’re joined once again by Kevan Collier, Strategic Learning and Organisational Development Lead at North West Employers, to explore how senior leadership teams can better understand the behavioural dynamics that make or break change programmes.We discuss why technical plans and project timelines aren’t enough, and how neglecting the emotional, psychological, and cultural

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19:10

Strong, Vibrant Communities: Why Town & Parish...

Truth about Local Government ·

2026/01/23

Surrey is about to become the national test case for the government’s latest wave of local government reform, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. With two new unitary authorities on the horizon, concerns are growing that statutory pressures and inherited financial challenges could push community services, local assets, and neighbourhood-level engagement to the margins.In this episode, we explore Strong, Vibrant Communities, a new report from the Surrey Association of Local Councils (SALC), which

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19:03

LGR in Flux: Delays, Direction & the Signals Behind...

Truth about Local Government ·

2026/01/18

This month’s deep dive into local government reorganisation brings a timely and candid conversation with Rowan Cole, Director at Coal Face Engagement, as we unpack the shifting landscape of LGR and what the latest developments really mean for councils, leaders, and local politics.Rowan joins me to break down what has changed, why the Government has delayed elections, and how this fits with the ambitions originally set out for reorganisation. We explore the contrast between last year’s confident

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17:50

Building Inclusive Growth: Inside Newham’s Strategic...

Truth about Local Government ·

2026/01/09

In this episode of Truth About Local Government, we dive into how the London Borough of Newham is turning its Growth Plan into reality. With a strong focus on inclusive economy, community wealth building, and strategic investment, Newham is shaping a future where growth benefits everyone. Joining me is Darren Mackin, Director of Place-Making at the London Borough of Newham, to share what the council is doing on the ground to deliver this vision, the challenges they face, and how they’re engaging

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20:44

Beyond the Map: Why Governance Design Beats Structure...

Truth about Local Government ·

2025/12/17

Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) isn’t just about drawing new boundaries it’s about what happens in the first 100 days when governance design, delegation, and political confidence collide with real-world planning decisions. In this episode, we talk to Rowan Cole, Thought Leader on LGR & Founder and Director of COALFACE, about what truly determines whether reorganisation improves planning outcomes. We’ll explore lessons from Dorset, Somerset, and Northumberland, the early warning signs of

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346 results

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