I am pleased to confirm that Jenny Rowlands has been appointed as the LGA’s Interim Chief Executive.
Jenny will join us on 11 May, leading the organisation during the absence of our current Chief Executive, Joanna Killian. Joanna continues to have the full support of the LGA, and we will continue to offer her that support during this time away.
Alongside her many leadership roles – most recently as Chief Executive of Camden Council – Jenny has significant experience supporting councils through improvement and recovery, and has been influential in shaping new approaches to sector-led improvement nationally.
She also brings valuable insight into the future of place-based policy and public service reform, at a time when the LGA and the sector are both entering a period of significant change.
Jenny’s appointment comes at a critical time for us as an organisation and she will provide much-needed continuity, stability and strategic direction as we continue to deliver our priorities, support our members and take forward the LGA’s own transformation. I look forward to working with her.
For now, with local elections looming on 7 May, I wanted to acknowledge what an important and demanding time this is for council teams, and how grateful I am for the professionalism shown across local government.
The LGA is here to support councils at every stage, both in the lead-up to polling day and after, providing practical guidance and resources for members and officers, alongside induction and development programmes for new and returning councillors (see next month’s first).
This includes tailored support for councils experiencing changes in leadership or governance arrangements, and peer support and sector-led improvement to help navigate transition effectively.
Our aim is to ensure continuity, stability and strong local leadership, so councils can continue delivering for their communities during this period of change and beyond.