For this episode of Meet the Leader, host Nick Kilby is joined by Councillor Andy Mellen, Leader of Mid Suffolk District Council - the only council in the country outright controlled by the Green Party.

In this episode, Cllr Mellen talks about his journey into local government and his role as both as County and District councillor, while diving into the details of his fascinating career that saw him working in education and development in Nigeria and Malawi for six years.

Hosted by Cratus Group CEO Nick Kilby, the Meet the Leader podcast is a space to learn about the leaders in local government, highlighting the tremendous work they do for the communities they serve. You can listen to the previous episodes ⁠⁠on Spotify here⁠ and wherever else you listen to your podcasts. You can also follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

For this latest episode of Meet the Leader, host Nick Kilby is joined by Councillor Kam Rai, who became the new Leader of the London Borough of Redbridge back in July.

Cllr Rai had spent six years as Deputy Leader of the Council, and became Leader of the Council after then-leader Jas Athwal (who appeared in the inaugural episode of this series back in January 2023) became the new MP for Ilford South at the 2024 General Election.

In this conversation, Cllr Rai talks about his journey into local government and his vision for the borough.

Hosted by Cratus Group CEO Nick Kilby, the Meet the Leader podcast is a space to learn about the leaders in local government, highlighting the tremendous work they do for the communities they serve. You can listen to the previous episodes ⁠⁠on Spotify here⁠ and wherever else you listen to your podcasts. You can also follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

For this latest episode of Meet the Leader, host Nick Kilby is joined by Councillor Petrina Lees, Leader of Uttlesford District Council.

Cllr Lees represents the Residents for Uttlesford group who have controlled the council since 2019, with her becoming the councils first female leader back in December 2021.

During this episode, Cllr Lees talks about her journey into local government which began at the parish level after a 30-year career in nursing.

With a passion for community involvement, Cllr Lees works tirelessly for her local residents and is not afraid to challenge the norms.

Hosted by Cratus Group CEO Nick Kilby, the Meet the Leader podcast is a space to learn about the leaders in local government, highlighting the tremendous work they do for the communities they serve. You can listen to the previous episodes ⁠⁠on Spotify here⁠ and wherever else you listen to your podcasts. You can also follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

In this latest episode of Meet the Leader, host Nick Kilby is joined by the Leader of Milton Keynes Council, Councillor Peter Marland.

Cllr Marland has been a part of the council for ten years having begun his career in finance, and in this episode he shares his journey into local government which led him to becoming Leader in 2014.

In this conversation, Cllr Marland talks about the importance of long-term planning, the future of the city-region and the unexpected story around being issued letters patent when Milton Keynes was given city status in 2022.

Hosted by Cratus Group CEO Nick Kilby, the Meet the Leader podcast is a space to learn about the leaders in local government, highlighting the tremendous work they do for the communities they serve. You can listen to the previous episodes ⁠⁠on Spotify here⁠ and wherever else you listen to your podcasts. You can also follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

In this latest episode of Meet the Leader, Nick Kilby is joined by Cllr Vikki Slade.

Cllr Slade tells the story of how she first got involved in politics, from her entry to the council to her two terms as Leader as Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council.

This conversation also explores the challenges of forming coalitions in 'No Overall Control' councils, which Cllr Slade did firstly with the Unity Alliance in 2020 and then with the Three Towns Alliance following the 2023 Local Elections.

Hosted by Cratus Group CEO Nick Kilby, the Meet the Leader podcast is a space to learn about the leaders in local government, highlighting the tremendous work they do for the communities they serve. You can listen to the previous episodes ⁠⁠on Spotify here⁠ and wherever else you listen to your podcasts. You can also follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

For the latest episode of Meet the Leader, host Nick Kilby is joined by Jason Brock who recently stepped down as Leader of Reading Borough Council after a 5-year stint at the helm.

Jason's meteoric rise saw him go from by-election candidate to Leader of the Council in under three years, in a time that was dominated with difficult challenges such as financial woes and the Covid-19 pandemic.

In this episode, Jason reflects on his journey into politics, his time as Leader and the future that lies ahead for him.

Hosted by Cratus Group CEO Nick Kilby, the Meet the Leader podcast is a space to learn about the leaders in local government, highlighting the tremendous work they do for the communities they serve. You can listen to the previous episodes ⁠⁠on Spotify here⁠ and wherever else you listen to your podcasts. You can also follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

The Meet the Leader podcast series returns for May, and Nick Kilby is joined by the Leader of South Cambs District Council, Councillor Bridget Smith.

Cllr Smith has led the authority since since 2018 and the District Councillor for the village of Gamlingay for the past 15 years.

During this conversation, Cllr Smith discusses her journey into local government and the time spent as Leader so far, as well as the four day working week trial which has attracted so much attention from Westminster.

Hosted by Cratus Group CEO Nick Kilby, the Meet the Leader podcast is a space to learn about the leaders in local government, highlighting the tremendous work they do for the communities they serve. You can listen to the previous episodes ⁠⁠on Spotify here⁠ and wherever else you listen to your podcasts. You can also follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

For this latest episode of Meet the Leader, Nick Kilby is joined by the Leader of Cambridgeshire County Council, Councillor Lucy Nethsingha.

Cllr Nethsingha dives into the details of her storied journey in local government which has seen her serve at the Parish, City and County level, in addition to also being a former MEP.

In this conversation, the pair also talk about the level of support in local government that exists for women and mothers, while also looking forward to Cllr Nethsingha's ambition the Cambridgeshire region.

Hosted by Cratus Group CEO Nick Kilby, the Meet the Leader podcast is a space to learn about the leaders in local government, highlighting the tremendous work they do for the communities they serve. You can listen to the previous episodes ⁠⁠on Spotify here⁠ and wherever else you listen to your podcasts. You can also follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.