Hybrid Governance Conference 2025

Amardeep Gill, Trowers & Hamlins

Amardeep Gill, National Head of Public Sector, advises government bodies, public organisations and businesses on transformation and business-critical projects, including joint ventures, AI ethics, PPPs, complex supply chains, regulatory matters and major procurement exercises. His experience spans sectors such as digital technology, transport, health, housing, education and regeneration. Current work includes AI adoption projects, commercialisation strategies, City Deals, local government reform, Smart Cities, and PPP/PFI contract variations and terminations. Amardeep serves on boards for Greater Birmingham Chamber of Commerce, Birmingham Tech and Aston University, and sits on CNM Think Tank’s Strategic Advisory Board. He is an Acritas Star Lawyer and a Grant Thornton UK Top 100 Leader.

Anita Bradley, LLG Deputy Vice President, LLG Southern Director and, Director of Law and Governance and Monitoring Officer at Oxfordshire County Council

Anita Bradley is the Director of Law and Governance and Monitoring Officer at Oxfordshire County Council, a position she has held since January 2021. With over 36 years of extensive legal experience, Anita has a varied career in both private practices, most recently as a partner in Browne Jacobson LLP and in local government settings.

Anita began her legal career in private practice, specialising in family law and litigation. She transitioned to local government having also worked in the charity sector, in 2001, where she has held various senior roles, including Head of Corporate Administration and Monitoring Officer at Mansfield District Council, Head of Legal Services and Monitoring Officer at Cheshire East Borough Council, and Head of Law and Governance at Oxford City Council. In her current role, Anita is a member of the Council’s Strategic Leadership Team and oversees a wide range of services including legal services, governance and information management. She also serves as the Monitoring Officer.

Annie Moy, Principal Solicitor & Manager Contracts, Property and Regeneration, Basildon Borough Council

Annie has over 20 years’ experience as a solicitor, senior leader and manager in both the public and private sectors. Currently Principal Solicitor and Manager, (Contracts, Property and Procurement) at Basildon Borough Council, over her career Annie has advised many local authorities on complex procurements and outsourcing projects. With a Masters Degree in consulting and leading organisations, Annie also works with organisations to help them achieve an improvement in work-place well-being, greater team effectiveness and a better insight into group functioning.

Ben Standing, Browne Jacobson

Ben Standing specialises in public law and governance, providing expert advice to local authorities and their officers, including Monitoring Officers, on complex constitutional and regulatory matters. With over 10 years at Browne Jacobson, Ben is recognised in Legal 500 and Chambers for his deep understanding of governance frameworks and planning law.

Ben supports councils on issues such as local authority constitutions, vires, decision-making processes, and compliance with statutory duties. He regularly advises on governance risks linked to major development projects, infrastructure schemes, and planning obligations, ensuring councils operate within robust legal frameworks. His experience includes guiding authorities through governance challenges associated with Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects and Developments of National Significance (Wales).

Ben also brings specialist knowledge of marine and environmental governance, having spent 18 months on secondment to the Marine Management Organisation. He advises on Harbour Orders, Byelaws, Marine Licensing, and judicial review challenges, alongside broader governance issues affecting rights-of-way, environmental impact assessments, and Sites of Special Scientific Interest.

Committed to supporting the public sector, Ben works closely with bodies such as Lawyers in Local Government and regularly publishes thought leadership on governance matters. Based in our Birmingham office, Ben is a trusted advisor to councils navigating complex legal and constitutional challenges.

Catherine Newman, Sharpe Pritchard

Catherine has been working with and for local authorities for over 30 years. She commenced her legal career as a trainee solicitor with, the (then), Cheshire County Council. She then worked at district, unitary and county councils before joining Sharpe Pritchard in 2010, where she became a partner in 2017. With extensive expertise in procurements and commercial contracts and known for her technical knowledge and pragmatic approach, Catherine works with local and central government to help contracting authorities implement their policy objectives, and meet statutory requirements.

Claire Gilbert, Capsticks

Claire Gilbert is a Legal Director within Capsticks’ Employment and Pensions team and previously practised as a barrister. Claire has a wide range of expertise with employers across a range of sectors, including working with local authorities and the third sector, as well as with private and public sector clients, including police, fire, and NHS. Claire is involved in supporting clients with high value, sensitive and/or complex litigation. Claire has substantial experience advising clients in relation to various types of investigations and compliance issues, including on professional standards/elected member complaints, data protection and whistleblowing.

Claire Ward, Anthony Collins

Claire supports local authorities nationwide and acts as an important sounding board for council monitoring officers, chief executives and other senior officers on governance issues. 

She has extensive local government expertise having been monitoring officer and director of governance and legal services at Herefordshire Council, where she also served as acting deputy chief executive.  

Claire also holds a judicial appointment as an employment tribunal judge in Wales. 

Daniel Dickinson, Governance Consultant, Harlow Council

Daniel has worked in local government legal service for the last 23 years in district, county, unitary, London borough and combined authority settings. Originally a planning, highways, and regulatory lawyer, he has been a Deputy/Monitoring Officer for the last 10 years. Daniel currently operates as an interim director and governance consultant focusing on corporate governance, constitution, and local government re-organisation. Daniel is also a mentor and a member of the LGA corporate governance peer review panel.

David Lane, Freeths

Formerly a Partner in the Freeths Commercial Team, David has extensive experience in commercial contract drafting and risk management, which gives him a deep understanding of how lawyers work and what they need from this technology. This insight enables him to design and implement AI solutions that genuinely enhance legal practice and deliver measurable value.

Deborah Evans, CEO of LLG

Deborah Evans was appointed in 2018 as the first Chief Executive of LLG. Having started her career in local government at Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council, she has since gone on to work in senior roles across the legal sector, including the in-house legal team of a major retailer; as a Practice Director of a law firm; in management at the Legal Aid Board; Chief Executive of the Legal Complaints Service, and most recently as Chief Executive of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers.

Deborah has also been involved with digital claims resolution platforms such as Claims Portal and MedCo.

Emma Walker, Venn Group

Emma has over 20 years’ experience at Venn Group, where she established and leads the Legal Division, one of the most respected and trusted legal recruitment teams in the local government sector. She partners with councils nationwide, delivering both interim and permanent legal talent, and leads multiple specialist teams that navigate complex, high-demand legal requirements. Known for her collaborative style and deep sector expertise, Emma is dedicated to driving Venn Group’s reputation as a market-leading provider of legal recruitment solutions.

Estelle Culligan, Wilkin Chapman Rollits

Estelle qualified as a solicitor in 2001. She was a family solicitor before working in local government for 18 years.  She has been head or director of law and monitoring officer for several local authorities. Estelle moved to Wilkin Chapman in 2022 as a Regulatory Partner. She advises on a wide range of issues including constitutional matters, committee procedures, councillors’ conduct, decision making and powers, planning, housing and all aspects of local authority governance. Estelle brings her personal experience and a pragmatic approach to the challenges that councillors and officers face in balancing their duties to the council and the public.

Francesca Hodgson, WBD

Francesca Hodgson is a Partner at Womble Bond Dickinson, specialising in regulatory compliance and public law. Francesca has extensive experience of advising central and local government clients on complex regulatory enforcement, governance, and risk management issues. This experience includes direct negotiation with regulators, representing clients participating in Coroners’ inquests as interested persons and advising on Equality Act claims. Francesca is a member of the Health and Safety Lawyers’ Association, as well as the UK Environmental Law Association.

Graham Kitchen, Director of Legal & Governance and Monitoring Officer (Acting) at Peterborough City Council

An experienced solicitor, Graham began his career in private practice, becoming a director and shareholder of a Cambridgeshire law firm. He transitioned into local government eight years ago and has since held a range of senior legal roles across multiple tiers of local authority. Graham served as Assistant Head of Legal Services at Hampshire County Council before joining Peterborough in 2024 as Head of Legal Services and DMO.

He will join South Kesteven District Council as their permanent Director of Law and Governance and Monitoring Officer in January 2026. His expertise spans corporate governance, commercial contracts, property and public law.

Henry Bermingham, Weightmans

Henry has over 20 years' experience in advising public sector bodies. He specialises in social care claims, highways, human rights, occupiers' liability, employers' liability, stress, public rights of way and 'power and duty' cases. His work includes recovery of indemnities under outsource contracts and contributions from abusers, with experience in CSE (Child sexual exploitation). 

Chambers & Partners describe Henry as "an experienced personal injury solicitor with comprehensive knowledge of litigation concerning public sector bodies", while The Legal 500 notes that he is known for "his expertise in social care work involving historic abuse and deprivation of liberty". 

Jade Gorrod, Venn Group

Jade has specialised in legal recruitment since 2008. She leads a highly skilled and motivated team dedicated to supporting local government legal departments with integrity and precision. Jade is passionate about delivering exceptional service, promoting social value through her work, and fostering long-term partnerships across local authorities. Her depth of knowledge within the sector enables her to provide informed, strategic guidance to both clients and candidates.

John Smith, Venn Group

John has established a strong reputation for his consultative approach and in-depth understanding of the public sector legal market. He works closely with local authorities across the UK to provide recruitment solutions that meet both immediate and long-term needs. John is committed to supporting legal professionals at every stage of their careers, offering practical advice and market insight to help them progress and succeed in the evolving landscape of local government law.

Jonathan Goolden, Wilkin Chapman Rollits

Jonathan is a solicitor, and a regulatory and public sector partner at Wilkin Chapman Rollits, a top 200 law firm with a national local government practice. He has worked in, or for, local government for over 30 years and was a Monitoring Officer for 6 years.

Jonathan has investigated many hundreds of cases of the alleged misconduct of local government councillors, including many of the most complex and politically high profile. Jonathan was a member of the core drafting team for the modular constitution for English councils and undertakes a range of public, administrative and regulatory law advice for local authorities, academies, NHS bodies, charities and also companies in the chemical, logistics and offshore renewables sectors.

He has been an Independent Person and is also a Deputy Monitoring Officer in two local authorities and a Monitoring Officer to a national park authority. He was an advisor to the Committee on Standards in Public Life in relation to its 2019 report on Ethical Standards in local Government and was a co-author of the LGA model code and guidance.

He is an independent lay member of the Standards Committee of a Welsh County Council.

Linda Walker, Senior Local Government Governance Consultant, Newark & Sherwood District Council

Linda Walker has partnered with Venn Group for the past seven years, bringing a wealth of first-hand experience from her distinguished career in local government. Her background spans large unitary authorities such as the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, county councils including Nottinghamshire and Cambridgeshire, and district councils such as Newark & Sherwood and Rother.

Over the last 12 years, Linda has held senior leadership roles including Director of Legal, Monitoring Officer, and Governance Consultant. Having worked with councils nationwide, she offers invaluable, experience-based insight into governance, leadership, and public law—helping local government lawyers at every career stage to navigate their professional development with clarity and confidence.

Mark Heath MBE, VWV

Mark Heath has over 30 years of service within the public sector. He has acted for a variety of clients including local authorities, fire and rescue authorities, combined authorities and public authorities bodies or statutory bodies discharging public functions. He was, until December 2016, working at Southampton City Council where he was Solicitor to the Council (and Monitoring Officer) for 20 years. Subsequent to that, he held the positions of Director of Place and subsequently Chief Operating Officer at Southampton. Mark has also served as the Local Returning Officer at Southampton from 1994 until September 2024, held various regional returning officer roles during this time, served on several groups convened by Government and the Electoral Commission on electoral law, policy and practice and has undertaken various inquires and reviews into electoral issues across the UK as well as lecturing and writing on the topic. Mark has worked as a Consultant at Veale Wasbrough Vizards LLP since 016 focussing on public sector work and clients.

Matthew Cumberbatch – Director of Legal and Monitoring Officer at Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority

Matthew Cumberbatch plays a central role in advising on governance, constitutional matters and the legal implications of devolution in his position as Director of Legal and Governance and Monitoring Officer at Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority. With extensive experience across local government, Matthew has previously served as Director of Law and Governance and Monitoring Officer at Warrington Borough Council and held senior legal roles at Telford & Wrekin Council and Stoke-on-Trent City Council. His background provides him with a deep understanding of how combined authority powers and regional reform are reshaping governance, legal practice and the broader operating landscape for public sector lawyers.

Matthew Gregson, Anthony Collins

Matthew Reed KC, Landmark Chambers

Matthew Reed KC’s practice is in planning, environment, property and local government.  Matthew has been consistently ranked as a leading barrister in Chambers and Partners, the Legal 500 and the Planning Magazine’s Legal Survey.   He advises regularly on regulatory and local government constitution issues.

Nik Stoate, Venn Group

Nik leads Venn Group’s executive search for permanent legal appointments within local authorities. Since joining Venn Group in 2010, he has partnered with councils across the UK to secure high-calibre lawyers who make a tangible impact on their teams and services. Nik specialises in complex and specialist appointments where success depends on understanding people as much as professional profiles. He is known for his thoughtful, insight-led approach—taking the time to understand what motivates candidates and what each client truly needs to ensure lasting, effective appointments.

Perry Holmes, Director of Legal & Governance (Monitoring Officer), Wiltshire Council

Perry has significant experience as a senior leader in the local authority sector and an expertise in local authority governance, including council companies, which spans nearly 20 years. He has worked at County, District and Unitary councils.

He leads a varied set of teams at Wiltshire Council. He is part of the Corporate Leadership Team and is the Council’s Solicitor and Monitoring Officer. He works closely with the 253 parish councils within Wiltshire, of which 18 are town councils and one, a city council.

In his spare time, he is a keen runner, cook, and supporter of his beloved Nottingham Forest.

Philip McCourt, Bevan Brittan

Philip joined Bevan Brittan in 2022, following a successful career in local government which began in 1988. He is a past president for ACSeS/LLG, for whom he led on a number of practice areas and produced a number of codes and best practice protocols. This includes, as Bevan Brittan, drafting the Code of Practice on Good Governance for Local Authority Statutory Officers for LLG, CIPFA and Solace.

Rachel McKoy, Executive Director of the Association of Monitoring Officers

Rachel is a senior leader within the corporate governance space. She currently holds the position of Executive Director of the Association of Monitoring Officers (AMO) and was the former Director of Law & Governance (Monitoring Officer) at the London Boroughs of Newham/Havering (One Source) and Hounslow.

She is a champion for local government lawyers, Monitoring Officers and good governance within a range of sectors (public, higher education, and IT) holding the following roles: Immediate Past President of Lawyers in Local Government (LLG); NED and Board Solicitor for the Society of Local Government Chief Executives (SOLACE); Chair of the Professional Conduct and Disciplinary Committee BCS (Chartered Institute for IT) and Lay Trustee (Legal & Governance) Westminster University Student Union.

Raj Basi, Capsticks

Raj Basi is a Legal Director within Capsticks’ Employment and Pensions team, where he advises on all aspects of employment and pensions law. Raj frequently acts for Local Government clients and has expertise in the transfer of services, including related pensions issues, as well as major organisational change projects.

Sari Brice, Head of Employee Relations, Inclusion and Policy, Somerset Council

Sian Ballingall, WBD

Siân Ballingall is a Partner at Womble Bond Dickinson, specialising in public sector projects and local authority law. She brings significant practical insight from her previous roles as Head of Legal Services and Deputy Monitoring Officer, most recently (following local government reorganisation) at Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council. Siân regularly advises on governance, vires and public law issues, particularly in the context of project delivery, drawing on her first-hand experience of guiding local authorities through complex legal, regulatory and governance challenges.

Scott Wooldridge, Head of Governance and Democratic Services and Deputy Monitoring Officer, Somerset Council

Simon Goacher, Weightmans

Simon is an experienced local government lawyer and prior to joining Weightmans in February 2013 was a Head of Legal Services and Monitoring Officer at two large unitary authorities. Most recently he was Head of Legal and Democratic Services at Cheshire West and Chester Borough Council.   

Simon has extensive experience at advising on local authority duties and powers and dealing with sensitive investigations. He has acted as the legal adviser to the full Council and Executive on a range of matters including the legal framework relating to the appointment and dismissal of senior and statutory officers.   

Since joining Weightmans, Simon has advised a number of authorities on sensitive political issues including carrying out an independent review of a metropolitan authority’s arrangements for managing sensitive personal information and how such information had been disclosed to the press.  This was completed to the satisfaction of the authority who praised Simon for his, “accessible, helpful and practical advice.”  

Simon also regularly provides training to senior officers and members on governance and conduct issues.    

Simon also advises on information governance issues, including the FOIA, GDPR and Data Protection Act and implications for local authorities.  

Simon is recognised by both chambers and Legal 500 for his local government expertise. 

Victoria Barman, Bevan Brittan

Victoria specialises in commercial public sector governance with a special interest in the local government sector. She has extensive experience providing strategic legal advice and support on sensitive and technical areas of administrative and public law, particularly in the context of complex multi-disciplinary transactions across energy, property and regeneration, housing, and corporate disciplines. Her practice includes advising on vires; the financial framework; corporate and collaborative structures; joint ventures; early strategic project design through options appraisals and business cases; corporate governance; constitutional issues; the democratic process; policy development and other complex administrative areas of public law.

Victoria regularly advises on corporate governance in relation to local authority companies including shareholder duties; effective oversight and scrutiny; directors’ conflicts of interest; confidentiality and indemnities.

Will Pardoe, Venn Group

Will is Venn Group’s national lead for permanent legal recruitment, specialising in the design and delivery of high-impact recruitment campaigns for local authorities during a period of rapid transformation. He has supported councils through restructures, skills shortages and evolving governance models, providing clear, evidence-based insight into the legal recruitment market. Will takes a consultative, partnership-driven approach, working closely with local authorities to represent their unique culture, priorities and identity in an increasingly competitive landscape.