View from the top: Growth ahead

The team are in final preparation mode for next week’s LCRIG Innovation Festival.

To say the team have pulled out all the stops is a gross understatement! The hard work that has gone in to making this year’s LCRIG Innovation Festival bigger and better is already clear, with the record numbers booked to attend from both the public and private sector. There is a larger number of live demonstrations, a new exciting TTF Zone with advanced technology and more exhibitors looking to showcase their innovations.

For Martin Duffy and I, the Innovation Festival also marks the official change in roles for us and noted in a press release earlier this year, Martin will become Chair of LCRIG and I will become CEO. The change is part of our growth strategy to do more, reach and support our members more and of course continue to bring the sectors together through LCRIG organised activities, working with others and through our core pillars.

With six months of this year already under our belt, I’ve been looking back at what we’ve provided to our members and others.

We’ve delivered a staggering number of events for ourselves, TTF, other organisations (RSTA and LGTAG), supplier webinars, support for councils around requests for information, regional group meetings, helped SME’s exhibit in Europe, showcased LCRIG on the international stage.

We’ve also latterly become part of the UKRLG/ADEPT Asset Management Group, will play a part in the new BSI PAS 2161 Road condition monitoring standard, increased our followers and newsletter recipients, raised our profile speaking at industry events, worked across more teams than ever before in DfT and mentioned in Ministerial speeches for the Skills platform.

And yet, there is even more to come over the next six months, leading on from the news of our collaboration in relation to the Innovation Procurement System with Crown Commercial Services, partnership working with National Highways and the Institute for Collaborative Working, skills partnership with Salford College and several Manchester authorities and other plans we have yet to announce.

So, there is growth ahead of us, more partnerships, more activity with councils and some specialist work supporting the public sector around preparing for new technologies – I am looking forward to taking on the mantle from Martin and meeting more of our associate members, partners and of course councils.