President update 1st December - latest news from ADEPT
Hello everyone,
It’s December already - where has the year gone? As we head into the final weeks of 2025, I hope you're managing to stay on top of what's always a busy period.
I'm delighted to report that our Autumn Conference was a huge success. Having Andy Burnham join us as keynote speaker was a real highlight and the conversations around devolution, resilience and innovation were fantastic. You can read my full reflections on the event here.
The conference also marked a significant milestone for us, as we officially launched ADEPT's 140th anniversary year. Dating back to the first meeting of the County Surveyors' Society on 19th November 1885, we've evolved from an organisation focused on road construction and maintenance into a modern body serving local authorities across the place sector. I'm really proud of how far we've come.
To mark this occasion, we launched an essay collection, Leading Places, featuring insights from past, present and future ADEPT Presidents on the evolution of place leadership and the challenges ahead. You can read more about our anniversary and access the essays here.
In other updates, we responded to the Budget announcement last week, welcoming the £2 billion annual investment in local roads, the investment into planning capacity, and the announcement on EV infrastructure charging, while emphasising the need for sustained long-term funding to tackle the £17 billion carriageway repair backlog. You can read our response here.
Following the recent NAO report, the Public Affairs Committee is undertaking its own scrutiny of commissioning and spending on home to school transport. ADEPT has been invited to contribute oral evidence. Rose McArthur, who chairs the ADEPT home to school transport working group, will join representatives from the LGA, DfE and MHCLG on 8th December. We have also submitted a written response drawing on members' expertise. Both offer a valuable opportunity to ensure our sector's voice was heard on this important matter.
Looking ahead, please save the date for our Spring Conference and Annual Awards Dinner on 13th May 2026! More details will follow in the new year, but I'd encourage you to get this date in your diaries now.
Finally, as this is my last update before the festive break, I'd like to wish you all a happy Christmas and a restful New Year. Thank you for everything you've contributed to ADEPT and our sector this year - I look forward to continuing our work together in 2026.
For more updates on ADEPT's latest news, publications, and the work of our boards and groups, visit our website: www.adeptnet.org.uk
