In local government, where the pressure to deliver is relentless and the political landscape is often complex and contested, the...

Local government is under pressure like never before. With rising demand, shrinking budgets, and constant political scrutiny, councils across the UK are increasingly turning to interim leaders to deliver results fast. But not all interims are created equal. In fact, as Matthew Masters, Business Director and host of The Truth About Local Government podcast, points out: “More money is spent on interims in local government than there is money spent on interims in the NHS, blue

One of the most persistent and often overlooked challenges in local economic development is the assumption that national strategies can...

In the latest episode of The Truth About Local Government , I had the pleasure of speaking with Joe Fyans, Head of Research at Localis,...

In the intricate and often opaque world of local government finance, few distinctions carry as much weight – yet remain as frequently...

Local government today stands at a crossroads. Faced with rising demand, constrained budgets, and increasingly complex social and...

Local government is not just a tier of administration - it is the living, breathing interface between democracy and daily life. It is...

We throw around the phrase “future ready” a lot in local government. It appears in strategies, transformation plans, and funding bids....

Furniture poverty is not a term that immediately springs to mind when one considers the crises facing the UK today. It lacks the urgency...

In the latest episode of Truth About Local Government , I sat down with Owen Jenkins, Executive Director of Place at Surrey County...

In the latest episode of Truth About Local Government , I sat down with Rob Noonan from the University of Chester to explore a...

In its May 2025 report titled “ The Anatomy of Mission Critical Neighbourhoods ,” the Independent Commission on Neighbourhoods laid bare...

In today’s rapidly evolving local government landscape, staying relevant isn’t just a professional advantage it’s a necessity. With financial pressures mounting, structural reforms underway, and expectations shifting, interim professionals must continuously adapt to remain impactful and in demand. In a recent episode of Truth About Local Government , Matthew Masters Business Director and host was interviewed by Olivia Treanor, a specialist in interim recruitment across the Mi

In today’s fast-moving, hyper-connected world, where public trust in institutions is increasingly fragile and attention spans are...

Introduction: A Crisis and an Opportunity We in local government are facing one of the most complex and demanding periods in recent...

The UK government’s long-anticipated Fair Funding Review 2.0 , released in June 2025, represents a pivotal moment in the evolution of...

In the ever-evolving landscape of local government, reorganisation is often framed as a technical exercise a structural reshuffle...

In today’s complex and fast-evolving public service landscape, local authorities are under increasing pressure to deliver more with less...

The world of interim management plays a vital, though often underappreciated, role in supporting the UK’s local government sector. Interim professionals are experienced leaders who step into organisations during times of change, uncertainty, or transition bringing with them not only expertise, but also the ability to deliver calm, clarity, and results under pressure. For senior professionals considering a move from permanent employment into interim work, the decision can feel

One of the most frequent questions I’m asked as an executive recruiter is: “ How are you finding the market at the moment?” It’s a fair question and one that’s becoming increasingly complex to answer. Over the past year, I’ve had countless conversations with both interim professionals and hiring managers about the subtle but significant shifts in local government recruitment. These aren’t the kind of changes that make headlines, but they are reshaping how councils engage tal