4 July 2025
To start the week, I attended a members engagement session of Powering Our Future - the Council's organisation-wide transformation programme with Geraldine Brown, Head of Policy, Development and Public Affairs. It's good to see all the good work we are doing and to see the difference that it is making.
Immediately after, myself and Paul Rowling, Deputy Leader of the Council, met with Mike Greene, Chief Executive, and Tracey Carter, Director of Regeneration and Inclusive Growth, for an update. It's unbelievable how much work is going on in this area across our Borough. It's good to get an update on existing schemes but also to discuss future plans that are really exciting and innovative.
In the afternoon, I was on my way to Liverpool for the Local Government Association (LGA) Annual Conference and Exhibition. I arrived there pretty late after a hot, tiresome journey with transport issues but managed to get there just in time to meet other North East leaders and colleagues.
Tuesday was a packed day that started at 9am with the opening of the conference. Throughout the day I attended packed sessions on housing reimagined, education and supported employment, attendance and inclusion, and finally an evening session with Cratus on new social housing models.
Wednesday was Stockton-on-Tees' turn in the spotlight, and I met early with Geraldine Brown and Marc Stephenson to present in the Conference Innovation Zone. The session was packed out with standing room only and we presented on our transformation and Powering our Futures journey. We had lots of positive feedback, questions and requests from other Local Authorities to visit and help them on their journey. After this I attended sessions on special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and systems that support our children, tackling family poverty, and various meetings during the day, including meeting up with colleagues from across the country.
Thursday was an early 8am start to the conference and the morning was taken up with various ministers giving speeches on reform and plans for Local Government in the future. I then travelled home arriving back in Stockton early evening, exhausted and hot. I have definitely got my steps in this week!
Today I'm back in Stockton-on-Tees and my first visit was to the new Community Diagnostic Centre on our High Street. This is a great facility for residents to access diagnostic treatments in a central area without having to travel too far. It was also good to see the new car park open at the back of the centre.
This afternoon I am hoping to catch up on lots of emails and case work after a very busy week.
Tomorrow, I am invited to attend a function hosted by Sue Snowden who is His Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant of County Durham. Sue has been a brilliant ambassador for our area and like me as leader, was the first woman to hold this role.
I hope you all have a great weekend with your families.
