Interview Series: Meet the Chair, Michael Sanders

We recently held the Local Government Technology Conference, in Westminster, London. It was an exciting day of learning, networking and interesting conversation. As most of our conferences are online, when we do get to meet people face-to-face, and host speakers in a physical space, it is a wonderful feeling. Seeing all of the conversations, the technologies, the passionate speakers and like-minded delegates in-person reminds us of the positive impact these conferences have on people. You can see the learning, the conversation and the enjoyment people are having and you can’t help but feel proud of the team at Government Events.

To try and encapsulate the incredible keynotes and case studies that occurred throughout the day, we decided to record a series of interviews with some of the amazing speakers who attended. We spoke with Michael Sanders, a professor of Public Policy and King’s College London. We were proud to have Michael chair our event and he did an excellent job of helping to move the event along and being there for Q&A’s and introducing our talented speakers.

You can watch the interview here, or read it below.

What inspired your talk today? 

I was mostly inspired by the fact that over the course of my career, I’ve seen local government embracing new technologies, including AI and machine learning, much faster sometimes than central government out of necessity.  

Why is this topic so important for local government right now? 

At the moment there’s a real rush to take up new technologies particularly AI and it’s really important that we get that right because if we don’t, there is a risk of us either falling behind or perhaps even more troublingly, of us misusing technology in such a way as it causes harm to the people that we’re here to serve in particular to the most vulnerable people in society.

What’s the most exciting digital development happening in the public sector? 

I think using digital tools that allow frontline workers, for example, people working in social care or people working in housing and homelessness, to not have to spend their entire lives writing out notes about what it is they just spoke to a family about or spoke to professionals about, to simplify their work and allow them to spend more time face to face with families, with children, with people who are at risk of homelessness, so that they can meet their needs and help serve them better, is really exciting.

How do you find the event so far?

I think the event’s been great. It was great, I think, in particular to hear from Tom Smith from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, because that department is really leading the way in terms of how local government should be and could be thinking about AI, and Tom’s just a great guy and a really big thinker in this area. 

Thank you, Michael.

As we reflect on the day, it’s clear that events like the Local Government Technology Conference are more than just opportunities to share knowledge. They are moments that inspire action and collaboration. Hearing voices like Michael’s, and witnessing the energy and commitment of everyone in the room, reinforces why these conversations matter.

We’re proud to help create conferences that drive conversations and change, and we’d love for you to be part of it. You can pre-register your interest for next years Local Government Technology, which will be happening next June.