It's always a pleasure to spend time with colleagues from across local government, and a highlight for me is always the District Council Network (DCN) conference. My first visit was a rather rushed affair, arriving for dinner, then departing mid morning, however this year I was fully engaged from start to finish. Some interesting plenary sessions on devolution and also public opinion, as well as break out sessions. Given my involvement with the ongoing discussion around assurance, I wasn't surprised to be asked to talk about the ongoing discussions around OFLOG including where the LGA sat in regard to sector-led improvement, as well as where and how (or maybe if?) we saw ourselves working together.
Having spent time over the last year with OFLOG's chief executive Josh Goodman, I think we were able to neatly juxtapose each other - there are some areas where we have yet to reach agreement entirely, but others where we can see the potential. It was an opportunity for me to also remind the standing room only audience that the LGA offer of support for local authorities remains strong. I should not have been surprised to see Local Government Minister Simon Hoare MP slide into the room to watch from the back, following his own session on the main stage. The future of local government is a hot topic...
