President's Update

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.

Hello everyone,

I’ve just returned from two weeks’ leave – it’s always good to take some time to recharge before the busy run-up to the end of the year.

Before I went, I joined the Engineering Board to say hello and catch up on their latest work – thank you to everyone who made me so welcome. A big thank you as well to Andrew Cook for representing ADEPT as Ambassador at Highways UK. I understand it was the biggest event yet, with plenty of great conversations and connections across the sector.

Hello everyone,

It really does feel like autumn has arrived - the mornings are crisper, the evenings are drawing in and there’s a sense of momentum as we head into another busy season for ADEPT.

Hello everyone,

I hope you've all managed to take some time off during the summer to recharge your batteries ahead of what promises to be a very busy autumn. Here are some highlights of what has been happening within ADEPT and what's on the horizon.

Hello everyone,

My first few weeks as President of ADEPT have been exceptionally busy and productive! Over the last month, I’ve been to the LGA Conference, caught up with colleagues at the corporate partner event and leadership alumni gathering and taken part in some great conversations around devolution and local government reform. 

Hello everyone,

I hope you are all well and looking forward to taking some time off over the summer to recharge.

Over the last month, it was good to meet the presidents of the other local government bodies - ADCS, ADASS, ADPH and the LGA - to talk about the outcomes of the May local elections. I also hosted my first Leadership Team meeting, where we discussed the themes for the Autumn Conference. 

Hello everyone,

I am delighted to be writing my first update as President of ADEPT! It is a real privilege to take on this role and I am thrilled to be working alongside such dedicated professionals committed to improving our places and communities.

Hello everyone,

This is my final update as President of ADEPT! It has been an absolute privilege to serve in this role over the past year, working alongside dedicated professionals committed to improving our places and communities. 

Hello everyone,

Spring has finally arrived and with it comes a fresh wave of activity and progress. 

I attended the National Flood Resilience Forum chaired by Minister Emma Hardy, focusing on enhancing flood resilience across the UK. I also participated in the MHCLG Local Government Funding Reform Strategy group, where we discussed the upcoming business rates consultation and funding changes planned for April 2026. 

Hello everyone,

I don’t know about you, but February has flown by! This month has been packed with developments across several key areas.

At our leadership team meeting, we received an important update from the LGA, focusing on devolution and local government reorganisation, highlighting the challenges of managing both simultaneously. Sonika Sidhu, Deputy Director for Place at the LGA, will be attending future discussions as they develop their own support offer, which we are keen to complement for ADEPT members.