Newcastle City Council chief executive Pam Smith has been announced as the next president of cross-party representative body for senior managers, Solace.

The appointment was confirmed at Solace's Annual General Meeting during Solace Summit in Liverpool on 21 October.

Smith, currently Solace's Policy Lead for Economic Prosperity, takes over from Robin Tuddenham on 1 January 2027.

She said she was passionate about tackling inequality, drawing on her own experience of growing up in a council house and receiving free school meals.

‘Local government has an extraordinary ability to change people's lives for the better. Councils are closest to their communities and understand both the challenges they face and the opportunities that exist within them,’ she said.

‘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.’

Solace's Policy Board has also been refreshed, with two new portfolios focused on Civility and Devolution.

The Civility portfolio builds on the work of the Commission on Professional Standards and Ethics, which today published a new report, Enough is Enough: A Blueprint for Rebuilding Standards in Local Government, arguing that while reform of the local government standards regime is essential, more needs to be done. It calls for lasting change in local government through wider action on leadership, culture, governance, accountability and member-officer relationships.

The Devolution portfolio will support work on place-based leadership and the evolving role of strategic authorities, according to a Solace press release.

The new arrangements take effect immediately, while Tuddenham remains President until the end of 2026.

Further reading

Check out outgoing president Robin Tuddenham's interview with The MJ (£).