Radical Reformers ep 124: Jonathan Werran, Chief Executive of Localis
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This episode of Radical Reformers is very timely. We have just had John Healey's first budget - but the focus has very quickly shifted to the imminent arrival of the Government's "Re-wiring the State" white paper.
I am joined by Jonathan Werran, Chief Executive of Localis, an independent not-for-profit think tank focused on localist ideas. They explore what Rewiring the (local) state should mean for communities against a backdrop of local government reorganisation and devolution.
We discuss:
Why reorganisation needs to be a platform for long-term public service redesign.
How strategic authorities and councils can work together, with power reaching communities rather than stopping at regional level.
Why understanding your place matters and combining demographic, social and economic insight with strong local relationships.
The case for strategic authorities providing the right footprint for safe, responsible and ethical adoption of AI, drawing on richer, joined-up data sets.
Jonathan’s central message in this episode is that councils’ distinctive strength is knowing their communities and bringing partners together. Any structural reform or "rewiring" must have this at its core.
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