The Star Chamber Podcast

In this episode of The Star Chamber Podcast, we are joined by Rashpal Bishop, Vice President of ADASS and Executive Director of Adult Social Care & Health at Sandwell Council and Sali Miftari of EY Parthenon, to take a deep dive into one of the most enduring challenges facing public services: the future of adult social care.
We explore what meaningful social care reform might actually look like, the challenges facing the sector and its workforce, and what needs to change if decades of debate are finally to translate into sustainable reform.
Before that, we turn to the latest developments across local government, including party conference season and the Government’s latest decisions on Local Government Reorganisation. And in this episode’s idiosyncrasy, we explore the Cobra Effect; what a possibly apocryphal tale from colonial Delhi can teach us about perverse incentives, unintended consequences and the occasionally surprising results of public policy.

In this special episode, Michael and Marcus are joined by Iain Murray, CIPFA’s Director of Public Financial Management, recorded just post a busy few days at Public Finance Live 2026.
Together, they reflect on the key themes emerging from this year’s conference, from the challenges facing local government finance to the opportunities presented by a rapidly changing profession. They discuss Matthew Syed’s thought-provoking keynote on growth mindset, the increasing importance of leadership and adaptability, and how the role of the Section 151 Officer is evolving beyond financial stewardship into a broader strategic leadership position.

In this episode, Marcus and Michael continue their focus on issues and trends impacting the local government sector, including rising local government debt levels, the Government’s plans for Mayoral Development Zones, and what the Makerfield by-election may signal for the UK’s changing political landscape.
They then turn their attention to one of the defining reforms of modern local government: devolution. The discussion explores how powers are shifting away from Whitehall, what successful devolution looks like in practice, and the opportunities, and challenges, it presents for places across England.
In true Star Chamber fashion, the episode concludes with an historical detour into the origins of the modern welfare state. Marcus and Michael revisit the Beveridge Report, the famous Five Giants, and the ideas that continue to shape public services more than eighty years later.

In this episode, Marcus and Michael are joined by Stuart Rimmer and Alison Young from Thames Freeport for a wide-ranging discussion on one of the UK’s most significant economic growth initiatives.
The conversation explores the role of Freeports in driving investment, trade, innovation and regeneration, and examines how Thames Freeport is seeking to create long-term economic value across one of the country’s most important industrial and logistics corridors.
Alongside a deep dive into the Freeports agenda, the episode also reflects on the aftermath of the recent local elections, considering what the results may mean for local government leadership, devolution, economic growth and place-based investment.
The episode concludes with an idiosyncratic journey into the history of the Cinque Ports, exploring what a medieval network of coastal towns can still teach us about trade, governance and economic power today.

In this special episode, Michael and I are joined by Nathan Spencer, Managing Director of UKREiiF, for a discussion recorded live at the UK’s Real Estate Investment & Infrastructure Forum in Leeds.
Together, we explore how UKREiiF has evolved into one of the key gathering points for conversations around investment, regeneration, infrastructure and place leadership, and what this says about the changing priorities of local government and the wider market.
The discussion covers:
The dominant themes emerging from UKREiiF 2026
Investor appetite versus delivery reality
The growing importance of infrastructure, energy and digital capacity
The emerging focus on AI, data centres and digitally-enabled places
The increasing prominence of social infrastructure, including housing, health and stadium-led regeneration
A look ahead at what themes may shape UKREiiF 2027

The episode also explores what makes places genuinely investible in today’s market, from political leadership and governance, to certainty, delivery capability and long-term vision.
We’re grateful to Nathan for taking the time to join us during what is undoubtedly one of the busiest weeks in the sector calendar. We’re already looking forward to next year’s gathering.