President update 1st August - latest news from ADEPT
Hello everyone!
Can you believe we are already well into summer? The weather hasn’t always been ideal this year, but let’s hope we have a longer warm spell throughout August, so that we can all get out and enjoy our wealth of beautiful natural spaces.
It’s been a busy month. Following the results of the general election we are actively engaging with the new government on our sector’s needs, based on our Manifesto for Stronger Places, focusing on housing, waste, transport and climate change. We’ve already written to a number of new MPs, to arrange meetings that will build our profile, positioning ADEPT as a valuable resource to government on place matters.
Early in July, I had positive and productive meeting with Conrad Bailey, Director General of Public Transport and Local Group at DfT, where we discussed topics including local government partnerships, infrastructure, decarbonisation and creating a national strategy.
I chaired a meeting with my fellow presidents from ADCS, ADASS and ADPH to discuss what could be common topics for us to collectively pursue with the new government. I think it’s fair to say there was lots of positive energy in the room and a real consensus for collaboration on funding and the reset that is required between central and local government.
The Leadership Team discussed the outcomes of the general election and implications for ADEPT (the meeting was held before the King’s Speech), the draft new housing policy position and how we might reframe our offer to corporate partners.
We have recently published a report in partnership with Causeway one.network. The Road Ahead report examines six years’ worth of UK road and street works data and offers a sobering view on the impact of roadworks on the economy and local communities. You can find the full report here.
I was delighted to attend two great events last month. The first event was the Woodland Creation Accelerator Fund conference in Birmingham, bringing together over 80 local authority members to enable knowledge sharing, collaboration and discussions. The second was the inaugural Leadership Development Programme alumni event. The programme has been running for six years and has seen more than 150 participants on their leadership journey, equipping them with the skills and knowledge to excel in the place sector. Event feedback has been very positive – thank you to everyone who took part.
Finally - booking is now open for the ADEPT Autumn Conference, which will take place at the Marriott Royal Hotel in Bristol on 21st and 22nd November. Our theme is: ‘Creating places fit for the future: our past, our present, our future’. You can find out more and book your place here. And don’t forget to register for the National Traffic Managers' Conference on 9th October in Derby. Reserve your place and find more details here.
For more updates on ADEPT’s latest news, publications and the work of our boards and groups, visit our website: www.adeptnet.org.uk
Happy holidays if yours are still to come.
