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Making the case for people and place

Angela Jones, Chair of ADEPT North of England Board and Director of Thriving Places, Westmorland & Furness Council, has taken over the role of ADEPT President for the forthcoming year.

In her inaugural address at the ADEPT President’s Awards, Angela outlined her key priorities for the year ahead, which will focus on making the case for people and place - not just a theme, but a strategic mindset and call to action for the sector.

In summary, this will include the following:

1. Influence – speaking with one voice to drive change.
2. Innovation – creating space for new solutions and creativity in place shaping 
3. Inclusivity – ensuring places work for all communities and our workforce.

Further detail on each of the priorities is detailed below:

• Influence – we must advocate for the multifaceted concept of place, influencing both national government, businesses and residents to work in the same direction. ADEPT will continue to play a critical role in providing one voice, influencing policy and supporting Place Directors to navigate complexity by building stronger narratives that drive change and engender support.
• Innovation – in making the case for place, we need to create the space and conditions to drive and lead innovation across areas like low carbon technology, decarbonisation and digital solutions. But innovation is also about culture – supporting bold ideas, calculated risks and sharing what works. Place leaders must adopt governance systems that accelerate innovation and break down barriers.
• Inclusivity – we must adopt an inclusive outlook in place leadership, engaging with increasingly diverse communities to build infrastructure that works for everyone. The pursuit of economic growth must happen in parallel with inclusive growth, to address socio-economic disparities, delivering digital, energy and transport infrastructure that enhances connectivity and accessibility. At the same time, we must support workforce development through succession planning, skills investment and by opening pathways for young people into the sector. Ensuring inclusivity in our own workforce and people has never been so important.

Angela’s full speech transcript from the conference will follow shortly.