Transport infrastructure doesn’t just move people, it moves markets, investment, and ambition. In this episode of Tracks to Transformation, Matt sits down with John Plumridge, former Director of Estates & Facilities at Birmingham City University, to explore how transport and regeneration work together to unlock the economic potential of a place.

John shares the inside story of STEAMhouse, one of the UK’s most significant university‑led regeneration projects, and explains how a neglected corner of Birmingham was transformed into a thriving innovation ecosystem. He reflects on the strategic decisions behind the business case, the funding model, and the collaborative design that brought academia, students, entrepreneurs, and global businesses into one shared space.

The conversation then widens to the regional picture: the catalytic role of HS2, the power of transport connectivity in reshaping investment patterns, and the way major infrastructure projects can shift the economic gravity of a city. We explore how STEAMhouse has become a magnet for inward investment, including Cisco’s expansion into the STEAMhouse Innovation Centre and what this signals about the West Midlands’ growing innovation economy.

At its core, this episode is about how places change: how infrastructure unlocks opportunity, how regeneration builds confidence, and how collaboration between universities, businesses, and public sector partners can create the conditions for long-term economic growth.

This episode of The Truth About Local Government captures a pivotal moment in the evolution of public sector workforce leadership. Ben Dixon, Head of Workforce Solutions, is joined by Matt Masters, the newly appointed Head of Executive Workforce Solutions at OPUS People Solutions, for a candid and energising conversation about purpose, alignment and the future of talent in local government.

Matt reflects on the personal and professional journey that led him to OPUS and the wider Vertas Group, including the importance of finding an environment where his strengths as a neurodivergent leader with ADHD and OCD are understood, supported and amplified. He speaks openly about why OPUS stood out: the integrity of its leadership, the depth of technical expertise across the Group’s Managing Directors, and the rare blend of operational insight and strategic workforce capability that he believes the sector urgently needs.

Together, Ben and Matt explore the challenges facing councils today, from leadership capacity to workforce resilience, and why this moment represents a turning point for how the sector attracts, develops and retains senior talent. Matt shares his vision for building agile, high‑performing executive teams and explains why values alignment is not a “nice to have” but the foundation for meaningful, sustainable change.

This episode offers a hopeful, grounded look at what becomes possible when purpose, capability and culture align, and why Matt sees his move to OPUS as the moment that matters for both his own leadership journey and the future of workforce design in local government.

In this episode, Matthew Masters sits down with Rowan Cole (COALFACE®) and Professor Amelia Hadfield (Centre for Britain and Europe, University of Surrey) to unpack the launch of the Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) Initiative, a new national partnership designed to reshape the future of local government in England.

Matt opens the conversation by exploring why the LGR Initiative has emerged now, at a moment when councils face unprecedented financial pressure, public trust is strained, and the sector is searching for a credible path forward. Rowan and Amelia outline how COALFACE® and CBE have joined forces to lead a 100‑day programme combining research, public engagement, and policy development.

Together, they walk listeners through the initiative’s core aims:

• capturing public and sector insight through two major surveys
• convening workshops with councillors, officers, residents, and community groups
• producing a 100‑Day Playbook, Engagement Toolkit, and a White Paper
• culminating in a national launch event at the University of Surrey

Matt guides the discussion toward the unique partnership model, highlighting contributions from E.C.F., Commonplace, and Truth About Local Government. Rowan and Amelia explain how this coalition blends academic rigour, sector expertise, and large‑scale public engagement to create a genuinely evidence‑based roadmap for renewal.

The episode also breaks down the key milestones, including the coordinated launch on 24 February 2026, the first wave of surveys, and the workshops scheduled throughout March and April. Rowan and Amelia share what success looks like: a more informed national conversation, practical tools for councils, and a renewed narrative about the value and purpose of local government.

The conversation closes with a call to action, inviting councillors, officers, residents, and organisations to take part in shaping the future of local government through the LGR Initiative.