Penny Thompson has spent 20 months at Hackney LBC as chief executive. A fortnight ago, she let The MJ's Michael Burton shadow her for a couple of days, covering an agenda from planning for a flu pandemic to grappling with budgets for next year

Penny Thompson invariably starts her day with a cycle ride about 6.30am along the canal, minutes from Hackney Town Hall, where she will spend most of the next 14 hours. This is her thinking time. By 8am, she is at the town hall, catching up with e-mails and admin before a succession of mostly, back-to-back meetings.