Dr Jonathan Carr-West has been Chief Executive of LGIU (Local Government Information Unit) since February 2013, where he leads on all aspects of the think tank’s policy, membership and influencing work.

With decades of experience, Jonathan is a leading national expert on local government transformation, LGR and devolution, local democracy and public services. He is frequently called on to provide strategic advice and facilitation support to local authorities and is a regular expert speaker at national sector conferences throughout the year. 

Some of his particular interests are in participative democracy, the evolving nature of public services and devolution. With an extensive media profile and sector credibility, he has published on topics as diverse as localism and public service transformation, cognitive and behavioural science, and the politics of cultural memory.

Prior to being appointed as Chief Executive, Jonathan was Director of Policy at the LGIU, where he led on research and consultancy, policy development and piloting, best practice dissemination, learning and development.

Before joining the LGIU, he was Deputy Programme Director and Acting Head of Programme at the RSA (Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Commerce and Manufactures), where he developed and managed projects across a range of issues, including environmental policy, water and sanitation infrastructure, offender learning and rehabilitation, community cohesion, education, arts and drug treatment.

Heather joined the LGIU in September 2022 as Chief Operating Officer. She is responsible for the management of the operations and commercial business of LGIU.

Heather has significant experience in creating positive organisational culture and developing and managing commercial arrangements. She started her career at the Royal Borough of Greenwich, where laterally she was responsible for the borough’s Greener Greenwich programme. From there, Heather moved to Greenwich’s commercial subsidiary DG Cities Ltd, and grew the company from a small nucleus of three people to a successful commercial business.

Heather has Master’s degrees in Astrophysics and Environmental Technology.

Jen leads LGIU’s strategic engagement programme, overseeing member communications, group-wide training/events, and public affairs/press. Joining in 2014, she has spent 11 years boosting the profile and impact of LGIU’s members, resources, and partnerships.

With over 20 years of experience, Jen’s previous roles include Stakeholder Relations Manager at Age UK, managing engagement with national decision-makers. From 2007-2010, she was an account manager at Insight Public Affairs, running public affairs and PR campaigns for a variety of private sector and non-profit clients. In 2006, as Communications Manager at The White House Project, she helped launch SheSource.org, an online database of women experts for US journalists.

Jen was a Press Assistant for the London Labour Party during the 2005 General Election, and she holds an MA in Political Communications from Goldsmiths, University of London (2008).

Jon joined LGIU in the summer of 2025 following over a decade of experience in local government in South Yorkshire and London.

He has extensive experience of senior management roles in councils related to population level research, academic partnerships, strategy and policy development, change management and service improvement in local government. Jon is also personally research-active, holding fellowships at both UCL and the University of Birmingham and is also a member of the University Policy Engagement Network (UPEN) advisory board.

Jon is responsible for LGIU’s research and policy function, leading the portfolio of the organisation’s projects and partnerships on local government insight, policy and practice.

Freya joined the LGIU in July 2021 as a content assistant and has since worked her way up to senior management. Her previous life was as a journalist for national and local publishers, and she has extensive experience producing content and marketing materials for websites, newspapers and magazines, while also launching and running her own passion projects in the form of podcasts, multimedia and websites. 

At the University of Southampton, she earned her undergraduate degree in English and a Master’s in International Politics, while also at the helm as editor of one of the oldest student publications in the UK. Under her leadership, the team gained regional and national recognition for breaking local stories and championing important causes, particularly around gendered violence and rights.   

Her key areas of interest span all inequality and social issues, and she has a lifelong passion for environmental causes, having grown up in the countryside and now spending most of her free time roaming with her border collie, Ferguson.

Jane works alongside the Head of Communications and Marketing to deliver LGIU’s communications and marketing activity. Her work spans campaign planning and delivery, day-to-day social media (with a particular focus on LinkedIn), writing and content production, and contributing to the ongoing development of LGIU’s website and digital presence.

Jane brings extensive experience across communications, marketing and digital content, with particular expertise in writing and translating complex ideas into clear, engaging material. She has delivered campaigns across multiple channels, managed social media, and worked on website and CRM development projects, combining strong project management skills with a collaborative, cross-team approach.

Before joining LGIU, Jane worked in commercial and business-to-business publishing, covering education, voluntary sector and business regulation titles. She was previously a crime fiction buyer and began her career in the voluntary sector, providing research support to a small charity focused on women’s equality.

Becki joined LGIU as Membership Manager in August 2026, working with members, councils and partner organisations to strengthen relationships and ensure our members get the most from LGIU’s insight, research and community.

Before joining LGIU, Becki spent over a decade working across higher education, widening participation and global development, including UK government-funded projects supporting young people and adults facing systemic barriers to education and employment. She has also delivered international events with the WHO and UN on eye health and disability inclusion.

Becki is passionate about strengthening local democracy and helping organisations learn from one another, believing the best solutions come through collaboration, curiosity and knowledge sharing. Outside work, she volunteers in education, environmental and equality causes, and can usually be found running, paddleboarding, or spending time in nature with her pets.

Caitlin leads the planning and coordination of LGIU’s events, training and partnership engagement activities, and ensures they provide meaningful opportunities for learning, collaboration and sector engagement. 

She firmly believes in the power of collaboration and bringing people together to find solutions and affect positive change for the communities they serve and, through her role as partnerships manager and bringing her experience working closely with LGIU’s member councils, she seeks to respond to the needs of LGIU councils and partners.

Prior to joining LGIU in 2024, Caitlin worked in local government. She secured a place on the National Graduate Development Programme and worked at Cornwall Council, where she gained valuable experience in Strategy and Engagement and Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion. Subsequently, she worked as a Community Link Officer, supporting communities and championing localism in action. She holds a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from Durham University.

Stacey joined LGIU in May 2026 as Operations Manager, responsible for ensuring the organisation’s systems, infrastructure and processes are reliable, secure and fit for purpose, and that colleagues across LGIU have the tools and support they need to deliver high-quality services to members.

Stacey brings over 15 years of operational leadership experience spanning the public and private sectors. She began her career in the Royal Navy, where, over 13 years, she held various roles leading teams in high-pressure, high-accountability environments and overseeing HR operations and workforce management for large units. She subsequently supported the executive team at East Kent Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, one of the UK’s largest NHS Trusts, providing operational and governance support to the Chief Operating Officer and Director of Finance during a period of significant organisational change.

Most recently, Stacey spent six years at Principia Advisory, a global ethics and leadership consultancy, where she built the organisation’s operational infrastructure from the ground up. She held responsibility for IT systems, CRM platforms, data protection and GDPR compliance, information security, and process improvement across a remote-first international team. In that time she led the organisation’s ISO27001 certification and subsequent transition to the 2022 standard, and served as Data Protection Officer.

Stacey is based in Dumfries and Galloway, where she enjoys country living and walks with her dogs, Max and Luna.

Interested in elections, public services and governance, Greg has led projects on local government finance in England and Scotland, electoral administration, and local elections.

Before joining the LGIU, Greg completed a PhD at the University of Exeter on electoral administration in England, where he also taught social science research methods. Previously, he worked for Citizens Advice, at the House of Commons and the University of Oxford.

Thomas leads LGIU’s policy and practice work, connecting research insight with practical support for councils navigating complex policy challenges. Working across the UK and Ireland, he translates emerging policy developments into actionable intelligence for local government – from devolution to LGR to public service reform and neighbourhood governance.

Thomas joined LGIU in 2022 and holds a First Class Master’s in Local Government Management from the Institute of Public Administration, a Diploma in Public Management, and an MA in Politics from the University of Edinburgh. 

Working across a strong cross-UK network, Thomas brings both analytical depth and sector relationships to LGIU’s research and policy work. This includes bespoke council projects, horizon scanning, cross-UK policy analysis, and building learning and exchange across the sector.

To talk policy, research or practice support, reach out to Thomas.

Charlotte works in LGIU’s partnerships team as a membership coordinator. Charlotte joined LGIU in 2026, with her role focusing on building and maintaining strong member relationships, stakeholder management, and working collaboratively across teams to deliver high quality services and strengthen member engagement.

Before joining LGIU, Charlotte worked with the PPMA, a membership organisation for HR and OD professionals working in local government. She completed her bachelor’s degree in Theology, Religion and Ethics at the University of Winchester, a level 7 CIPD diploma and a masters in Human Resource Management from the University of Westminster. Both of Charlotte’s dissertation projects focused on the impact of the Equality Act on protected groups working in local government.

Charlotte’s key areas of interest include religious diversity in the workplace, and early years, shaped by her family run and owned outdoor nursery in Wiltshire.

Daniel is the Membership Coordinator for Scotland and Ireland, based within the LGIU’s partnerships team. He joined the LGIU in July 2026, with a focus on building and strengthening connections between members and the LGIU. 

Before joining the LGIU, Daniel completed an accelerated law degree at the University of Cambridge, having previously studied History and Politics at the University of Glasgow, including a year abroad at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. 

His dissertation, “Do Scottish Councils Deliver”, examined the fiscal, structural and workforce challenges facing local government in Scotland – a topic that, alongside his family’s work in the public sector, drew him to LGIU. 

Daniel is particularly interested in helping councils harness IT innovation and in creating opportunities for greater knowledge sharing between councils and across countries. Especially in key areas such as homelessness provision and prevention in health and social care.

Outside of work, Daniel has always enjoyed long-distance hiking, running and triathlon events. Having raised money for causes including the Doddie Weir Foundation, Cash for Kids, and Brain Tumour Research, through family and friends.

Dan joined the LGIU in January 2025 and has since conducted research in areas including local government finance, devolution and LGR, changing service delivery models and nature recovery.

Prior to joining the LGIU team, he completed MPhil and BA degrees at the University of Cambridge, where he specialised in Economic Geography and UK Political Economy.

Bea leads on content delivery across LGIU’s core countries: England, Scotland, Ireland and Northern Ireland. Since joining LGIU in July 2023, she has coordinated, edited and published briefings, articles and interviews, overseen newsletter services, and directed LGIU’s first documentary on Age Friendly Ireland.

Before joining LGIU, Bea worked as a Policy Officer for the Australian Federal Government across environment, agriculture and climate change departments. She studied at the Australian National University, where she received a double Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Environmental Studies.

Bea’s key areas of interest are environmental sustainability and climate policy, shaped by both her professional background and growing up on a rural cattle property in NSW, Australia. 

Jamie joined the LGIU in June 2026 as Design and Marketing Coordinator, bringing with him ten years of experience working across the charity, public and political sectors. At LGIU, he is responsible for design across the organisation’s communications, from publications and brand to digital content and campaign materials.

His career began working for a Member of Parliament following a degree in International Relations and European Politics, before moving into the charity sector where he led on design, marketing and communications at his local Community Foundation. It was through these roles that Jamie developed a passion for design as a tool for impact, turning complex information into communications that are clear, visually compelling, and difficult to ignore.

Outside of work, Jamie’s creative instincts extend well beyond the screen. He can often be found at a pottery wheel, hunched over a silversmithing bench, or scouring antique shops for art nouveau and art deco treasures to add to his ever-growing collection.

Henry joined the LGIU in January 2025. He is responsible for supporting the operations and commercial business of LGIU. He also contributes to the LGIU’s research and content. 

Before joining the LGIU, he received a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Policy from the University of Bristol.

In his spare time, he can often be found somewhere on London’s cycle lanes.

Dan joined the LGIU team in 2022. He is responsible for managing and maintaining LGIU’s website and mailing lists, supporting data quality and integrity across our online member systems, and producing data analysis and insights to support engagement, reporting and decision-making across the organisation.

Dan works closely with colleagues across LGIU to ensure member data is accurate, accessible and effectively used, and plays a key role in the day-to-day administration and continuous improvement of LGIU’s digital platforms.

Dan graduated from the University of Sheffield with a degree in Electronic Engineering and loves to do bouldering and long-distance running in his spare time.

Dr. Seán O’Riordáin advises the LGIU on topical areas impacting public management in Ireland and at European level. He also contributes on a regular basis to LGIU international briefings and is the editor for Irish originated briefings which are prepared for the LGIU by leading Irish commentators on local government issues.

Seán is one of Ireland’s leading advisors to local and national government. He is currently contributing to several national policy developments in Ireland including the reform of local government. He is also chairman of the Public Policy Advisors Network, the only full service policy advice resource for the Government and Foreign Direct Investment Sector in Ireland.

​Paolo Vestri is part of LGIU’s commissioning team and is responsible for developing and running our content services for local government in Scotland.

Prior to joining LGIU, Paolo was Corporate Policy Service Manager at East Lothian Council. He has over 40 years of experience working in and for local government, including eight years as a councillor on Edinburgh District Council.

In a full circle moment, he was the original Director of the Scottish Local Government Information Unit from 1994 to 2002 before its reinvention in 2016.

Paolo established Hexagon Research and Consulting in 2004 where he led various research projects, including the Evaluation of the Impact and Operation of Free Personal Care (2006/07) and Analysis of Councillors’ Weight of Responsibilities and Councillors’ Workload Survey (2005).

When he is not commissioning and editing content for LGIU, Paolo spends some of his retirement from full-time work being under-shepherd to his wife’s small flock of small Shetland sheep and being taken for walks by Rosie, their fox red labrador.

Roddy has been a District Councillor in Sevenoaks for 14 years. 7 years as Portfolio Holder for Economic and Community Development, 3 years as Commissioner for the Public Realm and 18 months as Leader of the Council.

Previously he was a Sevenoaks Town Councillor for 16 years. He is Chairman of the Kent Branch of the Chartered Quality Institute and works as a Management Systems Consultant. He has an MBA in International Business and Finance.

Cllr Hopgood was Leader of Durham County Council from May 2021 – May 2025. She was honoured to be selected to lead the cross-party Joint Administration and made history by being the first ever female Leader of the Council. Since May 2025 she has been the leader of the opposition.

She is a trustee and member of several organisations within her ward. She is also a director for Durham County Cricket Club and sits on the executive board of the Local Government Association where she is also the national lead member for the Children, young people and families committee.

Amanda was a signatory to the establishment of the North East Mayoral Combined Authority where when she led the council she held the portfolio position of Culture, Tourism, Sport and the Arts.

Prior to becoming a councillor Amanda worked for a major High Street bank as a mortgage adviser for 20 years. She is a director of a not-for-profit childcare provider.

Mike Short is the head of local government and education at UNISON, the public services union. He oversees UNISON’s work in local authorities, schools and the wider education sector. He is the lead negotiator for the joint trade unions on local government and school pay across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. He is also responsible for the union’s bargaining and equality strategies in local government and education, developing campaigns, and UNISON’s work on professional and occupational issues.

Mike lives in Lambeth, where he is a governor at his local primary school, chairing the committee that scrutinises and manages the school’s finances, resources and premises.

Mike was born and grew up in London, and has a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics.