President Update - August 2026 - latest news from ADEPT
Hello and welcome to my latest update. I hope you all manage to find some time to pause and recharge - although I fully appreciate that, for many, our services only get busier over the summer!
It’s been another huge moment of political change, with Andy Burnham becoming Prime Minister. While there remains quite a bit of uncertainty on what a Burnham government will mean for the place sector, ADEPT welcomed his first speech as Labour leader and his campaign address, particularly his commitment to putting place at the heart of economic growth. It’s an approach that closely reflects what ADEPT has been championing in recent years: that growth works best when it starts locally, with strong local leadership, backed by the funding, powers and flexibility to actually deliver. You can read our full statement here.
In other news, we joined the National Association of Waste Disposal Officers (NAWDO) in welcoming the government’s decision to delay mandatory flexible plastics collections until 1 April 2030, having consistently highlighted the practical challenges around reprocessing routes, stable end markets and the infrastructure needed to make these collections work effectively. The full statement is here.
Meanwhile, our annual Corporate Partner event on 1st July at AECOM’s London offices, brought together partners and local authority colleagues to explore the changing political landscape and its implications for place leadership. It was a valuable day for frank conversation and sharing of experiences and priorities for the year ahead. We also explored new ways for ADEPT and our partners to work together.
I also attended the Joint Presidents' meeting on 2nd July, which brings together the presidents of national associations representing directors across local government - from children's and adult social services to public health, place services and finance - alongside the LGA. It’s an incredibly useful forum for talking through the cross-cutting issues we all face and how we can join up agendas locally, which in turn helps us engage national government with a stronger, more united voice.
Finally, booking is now open for the ADEPT Autumn Conference, which will take place on Thursday 26th and Friday 27th November at the DoubleTree by Hilton Brighton Metropole. This year’s theme is Making Better Places for People, and we’ll be looking at many of the big issues facing place leaders, from political change, local government reorganisation and devolution to decarbonisation, nature recovery, inclusive communities and the future place workforce. I hope to see many of you there.
For more updates on ADEPT's latest news, publications, and the work of our boards and groups, visit our website: www.adeptnet.org.uk
