Room151’s LATIF Online October 2025

Dan Bates is a finance specialist at LG Improve. He leads LG Improve’s Financial Resilience function, enabling councils to adapt to a leaner, more outcomes focused way of working.   Working with all types of authorities on financing and funding to modernise financial management, outcomes-based budgeting and well-being and social value. 

Alison is the Director of Finance for Three Rivers Council. Alison previously worked for CIPFA as their Head of Standards and Financial Reporting and is past President of the SDCT.

Janice has worked in Local Government for most of her career, spanning over 30 years, with experience in County, Unitary and Metropolitan Councils as well as with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority before joining Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority recently as the Executive Director – Resources (S73 Officer).

Prior to joining the Combined Authority, Janice was the Executive Director of Finance and Performance (S151 Officer) for North Northamptonshire Council leading on a wide range of services and corporate transformation.  She was also responsible for the Council’s finances consisting of an annual net revenue budget of c£370m, a dedicated schools grant of £355m, a housing revenue account of £39m, as well as a four-year capital programme of c£110m.

Working directly with Government and other key stakeholders, Janice helped to establish, and subsequently work within, both Greater Manchester Combined Authority and North Northamptonshire Council – in each case promoting a strong and resilient organisation with robust governance from the outset whilst encouraging services to innovate and transform for the future.  She has supported a number of pan area projects including devolution deals and business rates retention as well as numerous capital and commercial investments including highways investments, housing developments and regeneration schemes.  

Currently, Janice is supporting the Combined Authority in its ambitious programme for transport, net zero, growth and skills across the Region.

Tom Wilkinson has been a qualified Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) accountant since 2000, following a traineeship with the City of York Council. He relocated to Dorset in 2008 where he initially worked as Treasurer to Wiltshire Probation Trust, before moving back into Local Government in 2011 working for Councils in Dorset where he supported Housing, Economy and Regeneration departments as well as Children’s Services and Pensions and Investments roles. He managed the £3bn Dorset County Pension Fund before relocating to Greater Manchester in 2017.

Tom has since held the position of Deputy S.151 Officer at Tameside Council, working with the joint health finance team. He then joined Manchester City Council in 2021 taking up the role of Deputy City Treasurer helping to lead and develop the finance offer at the Council. In April 2024 he became City Treasurer.