For nearly a decade and a half, John O'Brien has served as chief executive of London Councils, watching a series of mayors, borough leaders and council chief executives pass through the capital's public services.

A stalwart of local government even prior to his appointment, John says he had been working for what was then the Department of Communities and Local Government – and its predecessor, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister – working on the 2006 local government White Paper when he was called in to address the monthly meeting of CELC, the Chief Executives of London Committee, to discuss it.