Ed Hammond

I have over 20 years’ experience in local government and governance in England, including 17 years at the Centre for Governance and Scrutiny, where I advised public and private sector organisations on decision-making, oversight and assurance. In my role as Governance and Leadership Director in Grant Thornton's Public Sector Audit team I help councils, councillors and officers to navigate through the governance ecosystem, the complex framework of roles, and the requirements that underpin how councils work day to day.  

I support councils facing governance challenges, whether that's uncertainty around decision-making processes and systems or concerns about the effectiveness and scrutiny of audit arrangements. I also help councils look ahead, working with them to rethink and evolve governance frameworks so they remain fit for purpose in a changing environment. 

Examples include independent governance reviews conducted for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea immediately following the Grenfell Tower tragedy and for Birmingham City Council during their s114 notice in late 2023. Other projects include a review of the member oversight arrangements in place at the Tees Valley Combined Authority, and a research project for Oxfordshire County Council exploring possible models of neighbourhood governance post-LGR. I have also helped Camden Council align its formal governance arrangements with innovative approaches such as citizens’ assemblies and wider community participation.

I’m a father to two children, and a keen (and fairly competent) cook.