‘I came into local government because I wanted to make a difference.’ I love it when I hear statements like this, particularly when they come from young people at the start of their careers.

A couple of weeks ago I had the privilege of speaking at the final session of this year’s District Councils’ Network’s (DCN) Staff Development Programme. It is run for ambitious officers who are starting out in their local government careers.

The four national conferences help equip participants with the knowledge and skills they need in order to seize opportunities in an evolving local government landscape. Members of the cohort also have a mentor from volunteer district councils.