I never thought I'd be writing such a sentence two years ago, but as one of the first major in-person local government events since restrictions were eased, I am enormously excited for the County Councils' Network's 2021 Conference in what will be my first since becoming chairman.

The team has pulled out all the stops in creating an agenda for the conference taking place in Marlow, Buckinghamshire between Sunday 21st of November and Tuesday 23rd of November that fits the occasion and I am looking forward to hearing from Michael Gove, Jeremy Hunt, Polly Billington, Alan Milburn, and Vic Rayner, among many others.