Our World is Local with Catherine Howe

In this episode of Our World Is Local, Heather Jameson and Nick Kilby are joined by Catherine Howe, Chief Executive of Dorset Council, for a wide-ranging discussion about civility in public life, devolution and the changing relationship between citizens and the state.

Heather and Nick begin by reflecting on a politically eventful summer and the new Prime Minister’s early approach to government. They discuss the growing focus on devolution, the development of “Number 10 North” and plans to place civil servants within combined authorities, questioning whether this will genuinely shift power away from Whitehall or simply recreate central government at a regional level.

The conversation then turns to civility in public life. Catherine explores how social media, changing social norms and an increasingly transactional relationship with public services have altered the way people interact with politicians, councillors and public servants. She argues that rebuilding trust will require a more human and relational approach from the state, alongside clearer expectations about respectful public debate.

They consider the pressures facing councillors and officers, from hostility on social media to increasingly confrontational council and planning meetings. Catherine discusses the importance of protocols, good manners and clear “rules of engagement”, while stressing that civility should not prevent robust challenge or legitimate public anger.

Technology and AI also feature prominently, with Catherine arguing that digital tools should be used to free staff to spend more time helping people rather than making public services increasingly faceless. The discussion considers whether empowering frontline staff to take ownership of problems could help rebuild a more personal relationship between citizens and public services.

Finally, the episode looks at the wider “rewiring of the state”. Catherine discusses the skills strategic authorities will need, the role of civil servants and whether the current devolution programme is sufficiently clear about what should be delivered nationally, regionally and locally. She argues that genuine reform may require a much broader conversation about the future purpose and design of local government itself.

The episode concludes with Heather and Nick reflecting on the scale of change ahead and the need to ensure that reforms to devolution, strategic authorities and local government ultimately fit together as a coherent system.

Hosted by Cratus Group Executive Chairman Nick Kilby and the Editor of The MJ, Heather Jameson, the ‘Our World is Local’ podcast is a space to learn about the key figures in local government, highlighting the tremendous work they do for the communities they serve. You can listen to the previous episodes ⁠here⁠.

You can listen to the previous episodes ⁠⁠on Spotify here⁠ and wherever else you listen to your podcasts.