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Newcastle City Council chief executive Pam Smith has been announced as the next president of Solace, the body representing local authority bosses and senior managers.Solace's policy board has also been refreshed, with changes to its portfolios and membership to reflect the priorities facing local government.The appointments were confirmed at the annual general meeting during the body's summit in Liverpool.Smith, who has been Solace's policy lead for economic prosperity for the past two years, will take over from Calderdale Council's chief Robin Tuddenham in January.She said: ‘It is a huge privilege to be appointed president of Solace and to have the opportunity to represent colleagues working across local government.‘I'm incredibly proud to be chief executive of Newcastle City Council and I look forward to bringing our experiences as a city to this national role, while also bringing ideas, learning and best practice from across the country back to Newcastle.'The refreshed policy board will continue to support Solace's work across its established policy areas, alongside two new portfolios focused on civility and devolution.The new civility portfolio reflects Solace's continued commitment to addressing standards and behaviour in public life.And the new devolution portfolio reflects the changing landscape of local government and the Government's ambition to rewire the state. It will support Solace's work on devolution, place-based leadership and the evolving role of strategic authorities.The new board and portfolio arrangements take effect immediately. Solace policy board appointments: Children and FamiliesAde Adetosoye (Bromley) – Lead Susan Parsonage (Wokingham) – DeputyChris Sivers (South Glos.) – Deputy Civil and community resilienceAndrew Ferrier (Test Valley) – Lead Doug Wilkinson (Maldon) – DeputyStephen Gaskell (Croydon) – Deputy Digital leadershipJon McGinty (Gloucester City) – Lead Kathryn Rees (Stockport) – DeputyAsha Vyas (Brent) – Deputy Economic GrowthJon Rouse (Stoke) - Lead Lukman Patel (Burnley) – DeputyRose Rouse (Darlington) – Deputy Elections and democratic renewalMary Harpley (GLA) – Lead Mark Heath (Consultant) – DeputyLouise Round (South London Partnership) - Deputy Environment and climate changeJess Gibbons (Brighton) – Lead Victoria Lawson (Islington) – DeputyEmma Varnam (Tameside) – Deputy Health and social careMark Palethorpe (St Helens) – Lead Alison Barker (NE Lincs) – DeputyFiona Russell (Barking & Dagenham) – Deputy Housing, planning and infrastructureMartin Reeves (Oxfordshire) – Lead Simon Fletcher (Litchfield) – DeputyDawn Hudd (Arun) – Deputy Leadership and learningKim Wright (Brent) – Lead Pam Parkes (Various) – Deputy Local government financePatrick Melia (Sunderland) - Lead Will Benson (Tunbridge Wells) – DeputySteve Mawson (Kirklees) – Deputy CivilityShokat Lal (Sandwell) – Lead Jackie Laughton (North Tyneside) – DeputyEmily Yule (Teeside CA) – Deputy DevolutionAmy Harhoff (EMCA) – Lead Alison McKenzie-Folan (Wigan) – DeputyJacqui McKinlay (Liverpool) – Deputy

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SOLACE

Newcastle chief to become new Solace president

By Paul Marinko | 21 October 2026

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