One of the privileges of leading West Midlands Employers (WME) is the opportunity to spend time with colleagues leading our sister regional organisations across England. Earlier this month, we came together at the Local Government Association Conference in Bournemouth, a timely reminder that while we serve different regions and political landscapes, we share one purpose: helping councils achieve more collectively than any authority could alone. As local government navigates profound change, that purpose has never been more important.
That became even clearer while recording the PS I HEART You Unplugged podcast series on the English regions collaboration. We set out to explore the role of regional organisations, but what emerged was something rather more interesting. Despite the different places, priorities and political landscapes we each serve, the same themes surfaced time and again: trust, collaboration, collective leadership and quiet influence. Together, regional organisations provide the convening power, independent support and shared expertise that enable councils to tackle challenges collectively while complementing an increasingly devolved local government landscape.
