Hi Georgia - thanks for your time!

 

It's a pleasure.

 

Could I first ask simply for your reaction to being awarded New Londoner of the Year?

 

I was so delighted to get the award. I loved working in London local government as the leader of Camden and chairing London Councils, so it felt really brilliant to have the work that we collectively did in London local government recognized, and to celebrate the contribution councils make to the built environment, and to place-making.

 

How important is this particular sector, do you think, to London and to the UK as we go forward?

 

I think it's critical. As I was saying in my remarks, we've got a huge housing crisis. We desperately need investment in housing, but I think that it's really important that we do that with communities; that we are building houses that they can afford to live in, that they feel they have a stake in the development that happens, that we build that trust. And I think today we were celebrating some really positive developments that bring that to life. But we have ambitious missions for the country, and we have to do that in partnership. And this sector, the built environment, is critical.

 

Presumably, looking at these awards, it makes you optimistic for the future, in terms of the high quality of what was presented.

 

Yes, I felt very optimistic listening to the awards. Because, you know, I think there was some beautiful social housing being built. There were developments that really worked with the community to create new community space, new green space, and I think thoughtful place-making. So, I think that there are some really wonderful examples that we saw today of good quality development that really honours communities. 

 

Final question: well, two questions. How proud was your mum, who's here with you today? 

 

(laughs)

 

And secondly, how much has your life changed in the last year?

 

Well, firstly, my life has changed enormously in the last year, because I had a baby a year ago. (laughs) That was one big change! And then, you know, I've taken on two new jobs. So, it's been a big change. But I think that a lot of the work that we're trying to do, which is to deliver better public services, work with our communities to do that, take a missions-based approach, you know, there's a huge link between local and central government, and I think there's a there's a big opportunity to use the missions to make those kinds of connections. So, a lot is very different, but there are some threads that kind of connect it up. I think the experience of local government is really important to how we think about doing central government or doing work in central government. I don't know how proud my mum is (laughs). I was very pleased that she could make it along! 

 

How proud are you, mum? (Mrs Gould signals with her hands to the sky)

 

(laughs) She very rarely comes along to things, so I was really pleased that she could be here today with me. 

 

And where's the award going to go? Mantlepiece? 

 

Yeah, the mantlepiece. I think I'll take it home, and my son will grab it out my hands I'm sure, and want to play with it. But, no, I'm really pleased, because chairing London Councils during the pandemic and recovery, working alongside London, we were doing such important work, and there were so many people coming together to try and improve things. So, it's wonderful to have that connection to that work.

 

Congratulations!

 

Thank you so much. 

 

I hope your son looks after it!

 

He will! (laughs)