IfG Events

With an aim of delivering ‘simpler, more sustainable local government structures, alongside a transfer of power out of Westminster through devolution’, the government has formally invited proposals for local government reorganisation from all two-tier and small neighbouring unitary authorities in England. Delivering this ambitious agenda will be complex, time-consuming and challenging as local authorities continue to deliver services against a backdrop of financial sustainability and workforce pressures. So what are the benefits and risks of moving from two-tier to unitary local government? What does past experience teach us about how to successfully reorganise local government? What level of support from the government is needed to aid areas undergoing change? And how might reorganisation help to achieve the government’s devolution ambitions? To answer these questions and more, this IfG event brought together an expert panel, including:   Eve Roodhouse, Director of Strategy and Policy at the Local Government Association Becky Shaw, Chief Executive of East Sussex County Council Adrian Smith, Chief Executive of Nottinghamshire County Council Phillip Woolley, Partner, Head of Public Sector Consulting at Grant Thornton UK LLP  The event was chaired by Dr Matthew Fright, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government.  We would like to thank Grant Thornton UK LLP for kindly supporting this event. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Keir Starmer has promised to introduce legislation to parliament – before this April’s anniversary of the Hillsborough football stadium disaster – that would extend a statutory duty of candour to public authorities and officials. Starmer hopes that the new Hillsborough law, which will require government organisations and officials to be truthful and to proactively co-operate with investigations and inquiries, will “address the unacceptable defensive culture prevalent across too much of the public sector” exposed in the Infected Blood, Post Office Horizon and too many other inquiries. But how widely will the duty be applied? How can it work alongside other statutory duties such as in the civil service code? What lessons can be taken from the legal duty of candour that has existed, with mixed effect, in the NHS for over 10 years? To discuss these outstanding questions about the scope and remit of the proposed legislation, and explore how this new duty of candour could help embed a culture of transparency from SW1 to the frontline, we were joined by an expert panel:  Sir Robert Francis KC, Interim Chair of the Infected Blood Compensation Authority Liz Gardiner, CEO of Protect Pete Weatherby KC, Director of Hillsborough Law Now Campaign  The event was chaired by Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tamara Finkelstein, Permanent Secretary at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and Head of the UK Civil Service Policy Profession, is clear that generalist skills are essential but questions whether it is time to move away from generalists as roles sitting outside of professions.Tamara set out current plans for the Policy Profession, which provides a professional home and career anchor for former generalists, and how it is providing a framework for building and improving skills. This was followed by a discussion about how to build the skills they need and how to embed professional expertise in the policy-making process.For this discussion we were delighted to be joined by: Tamara Finkelstein, Permanent Secretary at Defra and Head of the Civil Service Policy Profession Aaron Maniam, Fellow of Practice and Director, Digital Transformation Education at the Blavatnik School of Government Lord Vallance, Minister of State for Science, Research and Innovation The panel was chaired by Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Decarbonising the power system by 2030 and accelerating to net zero is one of Labour's five key missions. But this extremely ambitious target means moving much faster than the previous government managed. So how much progress has the Labour government already made, and what more could it do to speed up delivery?The government’s first weeks in office saw it remove restrictions on onshore wind farms and put GB Energy and the National Wealth Fund into motion. So what impact have these actions had? What other steps could the government take to accelerate its missions? And with controversial announcements such as a third runway at Heathrow, what are the potential pitfalls to look out for, both to achieving the clean power mission and then accelerating to net zero?To answer these questions and more, this IfG event brought together an expert panel, including: Rosa Hodgkin, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government Fintan Slye, CEO of the National Energy System Operator Chris Stark, Head of Mission Control for Clean Power 2030 Dhara Vyas, CEO of Energy UK The event was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As Sir Chris Wormald starts his new job as cabinet secretary, two panels – one from Singapore – brought together civil service leaders from other countries to explore how they approached the job and what the UK could learn from their experiences. Speaking at the IfG:  Pamela Dow, Chief Operating Officer at Civic Future and a former UK civil servant Leslie Evans, Permanent Secretary to the Scottish Government 2015-2021 Martin Fraser, Ambassador of Ireland to the UK, Secretary General of the Department of the Taoiseach 2011–22  Chaired by Alex Thomas, IfG programme director And with an expert panel at the Global Government Summit in Singapore:   Heather Baggott, Deputy Public Service Commissioner, Public Service Commission, New Zealand Siobhan Benita, Global Government Forum Chair Lord Gus O’Donnell, UK Cabinet Secretary 2005-2011 Taimar Peterkop, Secretary of State, Government Office, Estonia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Two of England’s elected mayors join an expert panel to explore how well mayors are working with central government – and what powers they need.Ben Houchen, Mayor of Tees ValleyClaire Ward, Mayor of the East MidlandsChaired by Akash Paun, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Local government has faced huge financial pressures, leaving residents across England struggling to access services. Featuring presentations from council leaders, this panel explored what can be done to turn around performance.  Presentations from:Jenny Rowlands, Chief Executive of Camden CouncilClaire Taylor, Chief Operating Officer, Sheffield City Council Panel:Hilary Cottam, author, innovator and change maker and Honorary Professor at the Institute of Innovation and Public Purpose at UCLFlorence Eshalomi MP, Chair of the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select CommitteeJim McMahon MP, Minister of State (Minister for Local Government and English Devolution)Chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the spending review approaches, IfG experts – along with senior fellow Sam Freedman – explored how the government can best use its missions – and milestones – to shape its spending choices.Nehal Davison, Programme Director at the Institute for GovernmentCassia Rowland, Senior Researcher at the Institute for GovernmentGiles Wilkes, Senior Fellow at the Institute for GovernmentChaired by Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

No other party leader enjoyed themselves as much as Ed Davey did during the 2024 general election campaign. Rollercoasters, paddleboards, slides – the list goes on. And then general election night was full of cheer for the Lib Dems too – with the party winning a record number of seats and reclaiming its status as Westminster’s third biggest party. But how can those 72 MPs actually have an impact on a government with a huge majority? And how can the Lib Dems use parliament to scrutinise legislation and shape policy?  Deputy Lib Dem leader Daisy Cooper’s speech was followed by a Q&A with IfG deputy director Emma Norris Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How have the Conservative party adapted to opposition? What lessons has it taken from its 14 years in power – and its big defeat at the general election? And what is it thinking about the way government should work – and could work better? Shadow chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Alex Burghart was in conversation with Hannah White. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices