It is a pleasure to join this Local Government Association (LGA) conference. The LGA supports councils across the country as they deliver local solutions to national problems, helping them to build the skills they need and ensuring the voice of local government is heard at the national level. My only regret is not being able to enjoy the beaches for which Bournemouth is rightly famous. The closest I will get is using a nautical analogy – a sea change. A sea change is a profound transformation. The term was originally coined by Shakespeare in The Tempest, of which there are five productions across Dorset this summer. ... (full story)