Community-Centric Major Project Delivery: Insights from Alistair Cunningham

In this episode, we sit down with Alistair Cunningham OBE, Chief Executive of Tewkesbury Borough Council, to discuss his invaluable advice for the local government community on delivering major projects. Alistair emphasizes the importance of working with communities rather than imposing projects on them, highlighting this approach as key to successful major program delivery.We delve into Alistair's fascinating work with military and civilian integration, where a strong relationship led to the successful basing of 7,500 service personnel and their families (returning from Germany) alongside over a billion-pound investment onto Salisbury Plain, with full community support. Alistair also shares his experience leading the response to the Novichok incident in Salisbury, showcasing his adeptness in crisis management.Finally, we explore the major programs of work with the Garden Town at Tewkesbury and how these experiences have prepared Alistair for the challenges of supporting local government reorganisation in Gloucestershire.This episode is a must-listen for anyone involved in local government or major project delivery, offering practical insights and strategies for fostering community engagement and achieving project success.