Created in 2009, the Local Government Challenge brings together talented local government officers to compete in a series of real-life challenges around the country, whilst providing valuable consultancy to councils on this unique learning and development programme.
During a week that promised low temperatures and uncertain weather, the LG Challenge 2023 contestants arrived in Cheltenham on a clear Monday evening. This Cheltenham challenge marks the second since the restart of LG Challenge in February, and the excitement of the contestants continues to shine through.
The next morning, after plenty of speculation on what the challenge might be, the contestants were welcomed by Helen Jenkins, LGA Head of Leadership, and the members of each team – Team Catalyst and Team Thrive – were announced. Helen encouraged the teams to deliver bold and innovative ideas before Cheltenham BC chief executive, Gareth Edmundson, kicked off official proceedings with a presentation about Cheltenham and its many exciting assets and local businesses – including GCHQ. After a ‘rock ‘n’ roll’ video on the Golden Valley Development, the teams were set a compelling question:
‘How do we ensure that all of our communities prosper from the Golden Valley Development?’
The teams were given a specific focus for their projects. Team Catalyst’s was to centre around making the development inclusive for the community, giving a clear line of sight as to how they would benefit from it, with Team Thrive’s emphasis being on placing a clear ask upon private sector businesses to support the community, employ local people, and enable residents to fulfil their potential. Gareth’s presentation had made clear that the council ‘believe in the power of local government to make a difference’.
After a quick working lunch, raincoats and stout walking boots were donned for a site visit to the Golden Valley Development itself. After traversing an especially high stile, the contestants were guided around by Cheltenham officers Paul Minnis and Richard King. As the group moved swiftly across the rugged field, the sun appeared, casting a warm light over the expansive – and now certainly golden – valley. Showing the teams the potential future uses for the site, Paul and Richard fielded insightful questions from the contestants, on topics such as future neighbourhood infrastructure, and encouraging public transport usage. Moving on to a nearby community centre, the group heard first-hand from residents on their perceptions of the burgeoning site.
Racing back to the council for stakeholder Q&As, the teams began to craft detailed plans in response to the question. Councillors Mike Collins, Cabinet Member for Cyber, Regeneration and Commercial Income, and Peter Jeffries, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Assets, placed an emphasis on how Cheltenham is seen as middle-class, famous for its horse racing and cultural festivals, but that it is also a borough with areas of deprivation, whose residents are in danger of being left behind by the development.
After a late night of work, day 2 saw the teams fine-tuning their final ideas over breakfast before heading over to the municipal buildings. With a sense of excitement and apprehension, the teams’ final presentations began.
Team Catalyst’s laid out their ‘Inclusive Approach’, a three-year action plan with specific interventions. The first step involved an ‘innovative consultation and engagement’ electric vehicle which would travel around introducing gamification initiatives to young people, with content designed by the local businesses and the cyber community, allowing them to visualise the future and connect with the planned National Cyber Innovation Centre. Another intervention was a ‘CyberBank’, focusing on residents who are digitally excluded, by collecting, wiping, and distributing pre-owned tech through schools and the voluntary sector. The plan also involved a support offer of weekly community drop-ins, providing tech support and a digital skills programme. A co-learning space would be built and used to upskill residents and raise aspirations.
Team Thrive’s proposal centred around ‘The GVD Way’, a formula for businesses to follow so that they, and the borough, would succeed. This involved ‘The GVD Pledge’, a commitment for businesses to: build a pipeline of local talent, use buying power to support local businesses, and become proud members of the community with the ability to create positive difference. Their ideas were brought to life with the theoretical ‘Journey of B’: B, a child growing up in the Hester’s Way estate, who, through a series of community interventions including tech assistance in school, work experience in cyber, and an apprenticeship in the GVD, would become a software engineer. The team also gave careful consideration to funding, which would be done through sponsorships, levelling up bids, and utilising GVD project underspend.
Deliberating down to the wire, the judges - Claire Holloway (LGA), Gareth Edmundson, Dr. Diane Savory OBE, and Vivienne Clements (Henry Boot Developments) - poured over the teams’ complex and ambitious plans. The eventual victor: Team Catalyst!
Tired from two excellent, fully-packed days, the teams rushed back to Cheltenham Spa station to catch trains home. Gareth Edmundson’s message to other local authority chief executives: apply, be part of this process, because you get so much from it!
The LGA would like to thank Cheltenham BC for their truly stellar efforts in organising this amazing challenge. Special thanks go to Gareth Edmundson, Freya Gill, Sandra West, Claire Morris, and Bruce Gregory.
Ellise Huntley-Bennett is a programme support officer at the Local Government Association
