Local government may have a reputation for being populated by, shall we say, the more ‘experienced’ officers and councillors, but on these pages and overleaf The MJ has sought out just some of the bright young sparks in our councils (1) David Simmonds, 30 Title: Deputy leader, Hillingdon LBC Previous post: Cabinet member for social services and health Biggest achievement: Getting Hillingdon off the floor and to two-star status, with the team ready to achieve further improvements Personal ambition: To show that local government can lead the way in change management. (2) Gareth Moss, 39 Title: Director of resources Previous post: Chief finance officer, East Staffordshire BC Biggest achievement: Involvement in regeneration schemes which have cleared run-down areas has been particularly satisfying Personal ambition: To continue to enjoy working for organisations which make a real difference to their residents. (3) Gillian Bishop, 34 Title: Chief executive, Allerdale DC Previous post: Deputy chief executive, Rossendale BC Biggest achievement: Securing the chief executive job Personal ambition: To deliver top-quality services to the people of Allerdale. (4) Jason Stacey, 34 Title: Leader of Ealing LBC Biggest achievement: Taking the Conservatives in Ealing from 17 to 37 seats in the elections, and moving into administration Personal ambition: I always said I could think of no better role than being the leader of the council. My ambition now is not to mess it up and to make Ealing a strong council (5) Jenny Grey, 35 Title: Managing director – Communications and public reporting, the Audit Commission Previous post: Director of strategy and communications, National Patient Safety Agency Biggest achievement: I have developed some great teams. The campaigns we’ve run have changed, and sometimes even saved lives Personal ambition: To deliver the best-possible results, whatever I am doing. (6) Julian Huppert, 27 Title: Lib Dem group leader, Cambridgeshire CC Previous post: Deputy leader Biggest achievement: Working in my ward with police and the community to develop liberal policing approaches, allowing us to reduce crime and decrease the number of arrests Personal ambition: To develop and implement policies that will enable the country to have a green, egalitarian and liberal future. This may require becoming an MP. (7) Nick Kavanagh, 37 Title: Assistant chief executive, Knowsley MBC Previous post: Assistant director continuous improvement Biggest achievement: Leading the council’s drive to achieve ‘excellent’ status in our Comprehensive Performance Assessment in 2005 Personal ambition: To be an influential leader in the public sector. (8) Sarah Richardson, 32 Title: Cabinet member for children’s services, Westminster City Council Previous post: Cabinet member for leisure and lifelong learning Biggest achievement: Pushing young people up the political agenda through introducing a ‘youth passport’, and securing growth for new youth and leisure facilities Personal ambition: To end the scandal that young people leaving care are as likely to end up homeless or in prison as they are to go on to university. (9) Mark Bennett, 36 Title: Cabinet member for community safety, Lambeth LBC Previous post: National press officer for the GMB Biggest achievement: Pulling together a proper community safety strategy for Lambeth Personal ambition: To learn to play the piano to a standard where I could accompany silent films. (10) Libby Campbell, 27 Title: Camden LBC councillor Previous post: Media agency account manager Biggest achievement: Securing my seat and helping achieve real change at the council election in May Personal ambition: To see Lib Dem values become part of the core of the council. (11) Patrick Ellis, 35 Title: Assistant chief executive, West Sussex CC Previous post: Principal solicitor, West Sussex CC. Biggest achievement: Editing our county strategy, because it is such an important document that will bring significant benefits to our local community Personal ambition: To help the council focus on customers and staff as individuals, respecting that people have different needs. (12) Henry Smith, 37 Title: Leader, West Sussex CC Previous post: Cabinet member for information services Biggest achievement: Being the youngest county leader in 2003 Personal ambition: Despite my political or public life, still being able to spend plenty time with my family. (13) Geethika Jayatilaka, 31 Title: Chair of children, schools and families scrutiny committee, Camden LBC Previous post: Executive member for children Biggest achievement: Seeing the social services department improve during my time Personal ambition: To do whatever I do well and support the children of the borough as much as I can. (14) Duncan Sharkey, 35 Title: Chief executive, West Lindsey DC Previous post: Corporate director, Corby BC Biggest achievement: Securing the trust of senior councillors at West Lindsey when they appointed me to this job Personal ambition: It would be nice to win the Lottery and spend more time with my family. (15) Adrian Ramsay, 24 Title: Norwich City councillor Previous post: Postgraduate student Biggest achievement: Running the election campaign which resulted in the Green Party making four gains in this year’s Norwich City Council elections Personal ambition: To one day lead a Green administration on Norwich City Council. (16) Nathan Elvery, 37 Title: Director of finance and resources, Croydon LBC Previous post: Assistant director of finance and business management, Westminster City Council Biggest achievement: Rebuilding the confidence of my finance team Personal ambition: At some point, I would like to become a chief executive. (17) Clare Evans, 31 Title: European affairs manager at Newport City Council, and Rhayader Town Council mayor Previous post: Principle European officer for Powys CC Biggest achievement: Assisting Newport to attract more than nominal European funds, and overseeing its corporate approach to regeneration Personal ambition: To continue to be involved in shaping the future of Newport. (18) Jessica Griffith, 27 Title: Independent councillor for West Somerset DC Previous post: Researcher at Bristol University Biggest achievement: Affecting a change in the way the council develops affordable housing. I managed to persuade the council to move away from standard, box homes, towards more eco-friendly developments Personal ambition: To carry on doing what I am while I’m having an impact, and while people want me to be here. (19) Richard Stokoe, 31 Title : Chief media officer at the Local Government Association Previous post: Senior press officer for the Lib Dem group at the GLA Biggest achievement: Earning my way while travelling for two-and-a-half years and spending 12 months looking after underprivileged children Personal ambition: To look back on my life when I die and say I had no regrets. (20) Alice Douglas, 23 Title: Press officer to David Howarth, MP for Cambridge Previous post: Graduated from university last summer with a political sciences degree Biggest achievement: Helping organise a campaign to save young people’s psychiatric service in the city. It failed, but had people talking about mental health Personal ambition: To do more work with young people’s policy. (21) Adam Paynter, 33 Title: Deputy leader at Cornwall CC and executive member for environment and heritage Previous post: Chair of local parish council and working on a farm Biggest achievement: As executive member, being a part of delivering the waste contract for Cornwall, which is the biggest contract ever for the county Personal ambition: I would like to be leader of the council. (22) Becky Hellard, 39 Title: Chief executive, Breckland BC Previous post: Deputy chief executive Biggest achievement: Making the huge cultural shift in our organisation. It’s particularly highlighted in our revenues and benefits partnership. Personal ambition: To inject passion into people and ensure they feel valued for their efforts. I want all our staff to wake up looking forward to work. (23) Paul Matthews, 38 Title: Deputy chief executive, Torfaen CBC, and strategic director for communities Previous post: Assistant chief executive, and deputy director of education Biggest achievement: Being central to the organisational transformation of the council, and integrating its approaches to housing, community safety, regeneration and European matters Personal ambition: Keeping an eye out for a chief executive role. (24) Anna Randle, 29 Title: Policy analyst, Lyons inquiry Previous post: Head of policy, NLGN Biggest achievement: Being part of the Lyons inquiry team, which could make a real difference to local government in future. And making The MJ’s 40 under 40 list – for the second time Personal ambition: At present, it’s short term. Working out my next move after the inquiry finishes at the end of the year. (25) Marcus Coleman, 37 Title: Assistant chief executive , Lincolnshire CC Previous post: Director general of the Digital TV Group – a not-for-profit industry association Biggest achievement: Playing a pivotal role in bringing together broadcasters, equipment manufacturers, TV platform operators, retailers, consumer groups and government departments to turn off analogue TV Personal ambition: To bring private sector thinking to Lincolnshire CC’s community engagement, help drive real service improvements. (26) Heidi Alexander, 31 Title: Deputy mayor and lead member for regeneration Lewisham LBC Previous post: Charity collection guardian (Clothes Aid) Biggest achievement: Surviving my first two years as a councillor Personal ambition: To worry less about things that I can’t change and focus more on things I can. (27) Corin Thomson, 28 Title: Senior policy consultant, Local Government Association Previous post: Financial analyst Biggest achievement: Winning extra money for local government to help meet pressures, and understanding local government finance Personal ambition: Be a political adviser, complete the Three Peaks Challenge and visit Number 10. (28) James MacGregor, 27 Title: Senior researcher, New Local Government Network Previous post: Public policy officer, oneLondon Biggest achievement: Surviving six months in Washington DC. I was there carrying out an internship and had to live in one of the wilder parts of town Personal ambition: To cycle around the world. (29) Nick Cuff, 24 Title: Press and parliamentary campaigns officer at the Local Government Information Unit, and a Wandsworth LBC councillor Previous post: Account manager, Cicero Consulting; political adviser to James Duddridge MP Biggest achievement: Attaining the second-highest swing in Wandsworth elections Personal ambition: For the Government to accept the localism agenda. (30) Jamie Carswell, 35 Position: Deputy mayor of Hackney LBC Previous post: Cabinet member for housing, Hackney LBC Biggest achievement: Successfully making the case for Hackney’s ALMO with the Government, tenants and colleagues, and winning the all-resident ballot Personal ambition: Getting Hackney recognised for the fantastic place it is. And to encourage a political culture which is built on trust and commitment between politicians, officers and the electorate. This may be a longer term goal… (31) Matt Burrows, 27 Title: Media relations manager, Surrey CC Previous post: News and content editor, Guardian Media Group Biggest achievement: Scooping two awards at the Surrey Advertiser (2004), and managing press relations for the Deepcut soldier inquests for Surrey CC (2006) Personal ambition: To take on a more frontline role. I’d also like to reach head of communications, somewhere, before I’m 30. (32) Frank Jordan, 33 Title: Director of strategy, planning and performance, Northumberland CC Previous post: Assistant head of strategy and performance, education directorate, Newcastle City Council Biggest achievement: Securing £200m in PFI and BSF funding for schools in Newcastle, to enable every secondary school in the city to be rebuilt or modernised Personal ambition: I would like to be a director in local government (33) Jeremy Oates, 30 Title: Conservative leader of Tamworth BC Previous post: Deputy leader Biggest achievement: Knowing I played a valuable role in the construction of the council’s vision and priorities by organising events and achieving a new vision statement Personal ambition: To be able to say I made a positive contribution the world around me, both in my home and the community. (34) Mandy James, 37 Title: Acting head of programmes (IDeA) Previous post: Policy manager at Hackney LBC Biggest achievement: I’ve just completed a 10-month secondment at Lewisham LBC. I quickly had to understand what was needed to improve customer services Personal ambition: To make best use of my secondment experience in my new post. I would also like to be a guest writer for the Guardian’s Ask Hadley column. (35) Paul McCannah, 29 Title: Cabinet member for community safety and the voluntary sector, Enfield LBC Previous post: Chairman of overview and scrutiny and education scrutiny Biggest achievement: Successfully representing residents who were opposed to a proposed development in the Green Belt Personal ambition: To continue enjoying being a councillor and to work hard both within my portfolio and for the residents in my ward. (36) Sharon McKee, 36 Title: Head of comms and marketing, Northumberland CC Previous post: Head of communications and parliamentary unit, Child Support Agency Biggest achievement: At the CSA, I managed a number of successful projects to involve our stakeholders, who were a key link to customers Personal ambition: In the short term, to get my MA finished this year. In the longer term, to end my career as a chief executive in the public sector. (37) Mark Chapman, 33 Title: Lib Dem councillor Mid Bedfordshire DC Previous post: Parliamentary candidate for Mid Beds Biggest achievement: Successfully challenging poor development plans and seeing developers becoming more responsive to the local community Personal ambition: To deliver on my promises, to promote open democracy, and input from the whole community, and to put local people at the heart of decision-making. (38) Will Brooks, 32 Title: Cabinet member for environment and transport, Ealing LBC Previous post: Shadow cabinet member Biggest achievement: Increasing my majority in ward elections and successfully withdrawing the council’s support for the West London tram scheme Personal ambition: To transform Ealing back to its proper status as ‘Queen of the Suburbs’. Longer term, to hold higher office in local government. (39) Vanessa Bainbridge, 33 Title: Corporate performance officer, Northumberland CC Previous post: Drug action team co-ordinator Biggest achievement: Over the last five years, I have managed a performing partnership which has cut the harm caused by drugs and alcohol to people in Northumberland Personal ambition: To continue to work in the public sector, but develop a wider remit. (40) John Palmer, 31 Title: Head of local government policy, National Assembly for Wales Previous post: Assistant chief executive, Monmouthshire CC Biggest achievement: Having a series of jobs which have allowed me to do policy and strategy, while staying close to citizens, services and partners Personal ambition: To serve as best I can in a number of senior public service posts, and leave things better than I have found them.