Who we are
The District Councils’ Network (DCN) is a cross-party member led network of 166 councils. We are a Special Interest Group of the Local Government Association (LGA), and provide a single voice for district services within the Local Government Association.
District councils in England deliver 86 out of 137 essential local government services to over 19 million people – over a third of the population – and cover almost 50% of the country by area. As the housing and planning authorities, we approve close to 90% of all planning applications and enabled over 79,000 dwellings in our areas last year. District councils have a proven track record of devising innovative solutions to transform public services, taking a lead role in improving services and outcomes for people and places through better collaboration.
District councils have a proven track record of building better lives and bigger economies in the areas that they serve. Districts provide 30% of England’s GDP, with 34% of all businesses registered in our areas. This includes almost 50% of agricultural businesses.
Districts protect and enhance quality of life by safeguarding our environment, promoting public health and leisure, whilst creating attractive places to live, raise families and build a bigger economy. By tackling homelessness and promoting wellbeing, District councils ensure no one gets left behind by addressing the complex needs of today whilst attempting to prevent the social problems of tomorrow.

Our Team

Cllr Sam Chapman-Allen
Leader, Breckland District Council and DCN Chairman
Email: sam.chapman-allen@breckland.gov.uk

Cllr Jason Zadrozny
Leader, Ashfield District Council
Vice-Chair (Independent Group)
Email: cllr.j.zadrozny@ashfield.gov.uk

Cllr Bridget Smith
Leader, South Cambridgeshire District Council
Vice-Chair (Liberal Democrats Group)
Email: Cllr.BridgetSmith@scambs.gov.uk

Cllr Susan Brown
Leader, Oxford City Council
Vice-Chair Designate (Labour Group)
Email: cllrsbrown@oxford.gov.uk

Cllr Peter Fleming
Leader, Sevenoaks District Council
Email: Cllr.Fleming@sevenoaks.gov.uk

Cllr Sarah Nelmes
Leader, Three Rivers District Council
Email: sarah.nelmes@threerivers.gov.uk

Cllr Hannah Dalton
Chair of Majority Group, Epsom and Ewell Borough Council
Email: hdalton@epsom-ewell.gov.uk

Cllr Judy Pearce
Leader, South Hams District Council
Email: Cllr.Judy.Pearce@southhams.gov.uk

Cllr Philip King
Leader, Harborough District Council
Email: p.king@harborough.gov.uk

Cllr Barry Wood
Leader, Cherwell District Council
Email: barry.wood@cherwell-dc.gov.uk

Cllr Anthony McKeown
Leader, High Peak Borough Council
Email: anthony.mckeown@highpeak.gov.uk

Cllr Jason Smithers
Leader, North Northamptonshire Council
Email: Jason.Smithers@northnorthants.gov.uk

Cllr Robin Bennett
South Oxfordshire District Council
Email: Robin.Bennett@southoxon.gov.uk

Cllr Lewis Cocking
Leader, Broxbourne Borough Council
Email: cllr.cocking@broxbourne.gov.uk

Cllr Bradley Thomas
Leader, Wychavon District Council
Email: bradley.thomas@wychavon.net

Cllr Michael Jones
Leader, Crawley Borough Council
Email: michael.jones@crawley.gov.uk

Cllr John Boyce
Leader, Oadby and Wigston Borough Council
Email: cllr.john.boyce@oadby-wigston.gov.uk
Chair: Yvonne Rees
Chief Executive of Cherwell District Council
East of England
Trevor Holden, DCN Vice Chair (Broadland and South Norfolk District Councils)Jonathan Stephenson (Brentwood Borough and Rochford District Councils)
Claire Hamilton (Dacorum Borough Council)
Co-opted
Bill Cullen (Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council)East Midlands
Ian Fytche, DCN Vice Chair (North Kesteven District Council)Robert Mitchell (Charnwood Borough Council)
Kath Marriott (Rushcliffe Borough Council)
Rob Bridge, DCN Unitary Representative (North Northamptonshire Council)
South East
Daryl Phillips (Hart District Council)Dr Susan Priest (Folkestone and Hythe District Council)
Natalie Brahma-Pearl (Crawley Borough Council)
Laura Taylor (Winchester City Council)
North West
Mark Davies (Lancaster City Council)Rose Rouse (Pendle Borough Council)
West Midlands
Ian Miller (Wyre Forest District Council)Andy O’Brien (East Staffordshire Borough Council)
South West
Robert Weaver (Cotswold District Council)Jon McGinty (Gloucester City Council)
Cllr Sam Chapman-Allen
Chair of the DCN
Email: sam.chapman-allen@breckland.gov.uk
Cllr Sam Chapman-Allen has been Breckland Council’s Leader since May 2019, having previously held the Deputy Leader position. Sam is ultimately responsible for setting the strategic direction of the council, ensuring the council meets its statutory duties while delivering projects and initiatives that best support local people and businesses.
He was initially elected to the council in 2007 and served on the council until 2011, before pursuing other opportunities. During this time, Sam worked closely with Rt Hon Brandon Lewis MP, while Mr Lewis served as Minister of State for Housing and Planning at the Department for Communities and Local Government. Sam subsequently stood for election to the district council again in 2015 and has served at Breckland ever since. Sam is currently the Chairman for the District Councillors Network (DCN) along with this holds the role as a national board member for the Local Government Information Unit (LGiU), Conservative Councillors Association (CCA) and Local Government Association (LGA).
Outside of local government, Cllr Chapman-Allen worked for nine years with the Ministry of Defence and continues to work with the MOD in a part-time voluntary role. Sam is often found walking his two mad springer spaniels or behind a tractor.
Yvonne Rees
Chair of the Chief Executives’ Group
Yvonne Rees is currently the CEO of Cherwell District Council, a district located in North Oxfordshire.
Yvonne has a wealth of experience working jointly and across the tiers of local government. She has spent the past decade in joint roles: first as Chief Executive of Mole Valley District Council and Strategic Director at Surrey County Council, then as Joint Chief Executive of South Northamptonshire and Cherwell District Councils and then leading a unique county-district shared service arrangement between Cherwell DC and Oxfordshire County Council. This was ended in 2022, when she led the successful decoupling of the partnership at pace!
In each of these roles, she has focused on identifying ways to improve services putting the resident at the heart of all decision making. In her spare time Yvonne is Vice Chair of Active Oxfordshire and the Senior Independent Director at Surrey Football Association – having a passion for the impact activity has upon the physical and mental wellbeing of all!.
James Hood
Director
Tel: 07867 165909
Email: James.Hood@local.gov.uk
James joined the District Councils’ Network in September 2021. He provides policy, strategic and operational oversight for the Network.
Before the DCN, James held a range of senior posts in the civil service. Most recently, he worked at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC). His roles included being Joint Director of Housing Strategy & Markets, Director of Building Safety & Remediation, and Deputy Director of Local Authority Housing. He has wide local government experience and networks from his time at DLUHC. He also worked in policy and strategy roles at the Ministry of Justice and HM Treasury. He has extensive experience of operating in Whitehall. He also has private-sector and commercial experience from his days as a strategy consultant in the oil & gas industry at the start of his career.
David joined the DCN in March 2021 and his focus is on supporting the projects related to creating healthier and greener communities, and leading on DCN’s Staff Development Programme. David has a background within charities and social enterprises, working on issues concerning the environment and sustainability, since completing a MSc in the communication of environmental science and policy at UCL in 2010. For the five years prior to joining DCN David worked at a national charity advising district councils and other stakeholders on open space provision, planning policy and the protection of greenspace.
Nick Golding
Senior Policy and External Relations Officer
Tel: 07798 534701
Email: nick.golding@local.gov.uk
Nick is the District Councils’ Network communications lead and also plays a key role in two policy workstreams. These are the ones on levelling up and local leadership.
He joined the DCN in June 2022, having previously been the editor of Local Government Chronicle for eight years. This gave him gave him oversight of LGC’s written content, both online and in print, as well as the title’s events and the LGC Awards.
In his journalism career Nick also held leading roles on Health Service Journal and Community Care magazines, and was a reporter on local newspapers including the Enfield Gazette and Advertiser, and the Sutton Coldfield Observer.
Luke Masters
Policy and Partnerships Officer
Tel: 07721 483316
Email: luke.masters@local.gov.uk
Luke jointed the DCN in July 2022 and is working to support a number of workstreams including the network’s work on homelessness prevention, green growth, and sustainable finance for districts. Prior to joining the team, Luke spent 2 years working in Democratic and Electoral Services for Mole Valley District Council, shortly after graduating with a degree in Law and Spanish. At university he spent 4 years running a community cinema, so he is passionate about supporting district art and culture services
- Members' board
-
Cllr Sam Chapman-Allen
Leader, Breckland District Council and DCN Chairman
Email: sam.chapman-allen@breckland.gov.ukCllr Jason Zadrozny
Leader, Ashfield District Council
Vice-Chair (Independent Group)
Email: cllr.j.zadrozny@ashfield.gov.ukCllr Bridget Smith
Leader, South Cambridgeshire District Council
Vice-Chair (Liberal Democrats Group)Email: Cllr.BridgetSmith@scambs.gov.uk
Cllr Susan Brown
Leader, Oxford City Council
Vice-Chair Designate (Labour Group)Email: cllrsbrown@oxford.gov.uk
Cllr Peter Fleming
Leader, Sevenoaks District Council
Email: Cllr.Fleming@sevenoaks.gov.ukCllr Sarah Nelmes
Leader, Three Rivers District Council
Email: sarah.nelmes@threerivers.gov.ukCllr Hannah Dalton
Chair of Majority Group, Epsom and Ewell Borough Council
Email: hdalton@epsom-ewell.gov.ukCllr Judy Pearce
Leader, South Hams District Council
Email: Cllr.Judy.Pearce@southhams.gov.ukCllr Philip King
Leader, Harborough District Council
Email: p.king@harborough.gov.ukCllr Barry Wood
Leader, Cherwell District Council
Email: barry.wood@cherwell-dc.gov.ukCllr Anthony McKeown
Leader, High Peak Borough Council
Email: anthony.mckeown@highpeak.gov.ukCllr Jason Smithers
Leader, North Northamptonshire Council
Email: Jason.Smithers@northnorthants.gov.ukCllr Robin Bennett
South Oxfordshire District Council
Email: Robin.Bennett@southoxon.gov.ukCllr Lewis Cocking
Leader, Broxbourne Borough Council
Email: cllr.cocking@broxbourne.gov.ukCllr Bradley Thomas
Leader, Wychavon District Council
Email: bradley.thomas@wychavon.netCllr Michael Jones
Leader, Crawley Borough Council
Email: michael.jones@crawley.gov.ukCllr John Boyce
Leader, Oadby and Wigston Borough Council
Email: cllr.john.boyce@oadby-wigston.gov.uk - Chief Executives’ Group
-
Chair: Yvonne Rees
Chief Executive of Cherwell District Council
East of England
Trevor Holden, DCN Vice Chair (Broadland and South Norfolk District Councils)
Jonathan Stephenson (Brentwood Borough and Rochford District Councils)
Claire Hamilton (Dacorum Borough Council)
Co-opted
Bill Cullen (Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council)
East Midlands
Ian Fytche, DCN Vice Chair (North Kesteven District Council)
Robert Mitchell (Charnwood Borough Council)
Kath Marriott (Rushcliffe Borough Council)
Rob Bridge, DCN Unitary Representative (North Northamptonshire Council)
South East
Daryl Phillips (Hart District Council)
Dr Susan Priest (Folkestone and Hythe District Council)
Natalie Brahma-Pearl (Crawley Borough Council)
Laura Taylor (Winchester City Council)
North West
Mark Davies (Lancaster City Council)
Rose Rouse (Pendle Borough Council)
West Midlands
Ian Miller (Wyre Forest District Council)
Andy O’Brien (East Staffordshire Borough Council)
South West
Robert Weaver (Cotswold District Council)
Jon McGinty (Gloucester City Council)
- Leadership
-
Cllr Sam Chapman-Allen
LEADER, BRECKLAND DISTRICT COUNCILLChair of the DCN
Email: sam.chapman-allen@breckland.gov.ukCllr Sam Chapman-Allen has been Breckland Council’s Leader since May 2019, having previously held the Deputy Leader position. Sam is ultimately responsible for setting the strategic direction of the council, ensuring the council meets its statutory duties while delivering projects and initiatives that best support local people and businesses.
He was initially elected to the council in 2007 and served on the council until 2011, before pursuing other opportunities. During this time, Sam worked closely with Rt Hon Brandon Lewis MP, while Mr Lewis served as Minister of State for Housing and Planning at the Department for Communities and Local Government. Sam subsequently stood for election to the district council again in 2015 and has served at Breckland ever since. Sam is currently the Chairman for the District Councillors Network (DCN) along with this holds the role as a national board member for the Local Government Information Unit (LGiU), Conservative Councillors Association (CCA) and Local Government Association (LGA).
Outside of local government, Cllr Chapman-Allen worked for nine years with the Ministry of Defence and continues to work with the MOD in a part-time voluntary role. Sam is often found walking his two mad springer spaniels or behind a tractor.
Yvonne Rees
Chief Executive of CHERWELL DISTRICT COUNCILChair of the Chief Executives’ Group
Yvonne Rees is currently the CEO of Cherwell District Council, a district located in North Oxfordshire.
Yvonne has a wealth of experience working jointly and across the tiers of local government. She has spent the past decade in joint roles: first as Chief Executive of Mole Valley District Council and Strategic Director at Surrey County Council, then as Joint Chief Executive of South Northamptonshire and Cherwell District Councils and then leading a unique county-district shared service arrangement between Cherwell DC and Oxfordshire County Council. This was ended in 2022, when she led the successful decoupling of the partnership at pace!
In each of these roles, she has focused on identifying ways to improve services putting the resident at the heart of all decision making. In her spare time Yvonne is Vice Chair of Active Oxfordshire and the Senior Independent Director at Surrey Football Association – having a passion for the impact activity has upon the physical and mental wellbeing of all!.
- Staff
-
James Hood
Director
Tel: 07867 165909
Email: James.Hood@local.gov.ukJames joined the District Councils’ Network in September 2021. He provides policy, strategic and operational oversight for the Network.
Before the DCN, James held a range of senior posts in the civil service. Most recently, he worked at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC). His roles included being Joint Director of Housing Strategy & Markets, Director of Building Safety & Remediation, and Deputy Director of Local Authority Housing. He has wide local government experience and networks from his time at DLUHC. He also worked in policy and strategy roles at the Ministry of Justice and HM Treasury. He has extensive experience of operating in Whitehall. He also has private-sector and commercial experience from his days as a strategy consultant in the oil & gas industry at the start of his career.
David SharmanSenior Policy and Partnerships OfficerTel: 07795 842483Email: david.sharman@local.gov.ukDavid joined the DCN in March 2021 and his focus is on supporting the projects related to creating healthier and greener communities, and leading on DCN’s Staff Development Programme. David has a background within charities and social enterprises, working on issues concerning the environment and sustainability, since completing a MSc in the communication of environmental science and policy at UCL in 2010. For the five years prior to joining DCN David worked at a national charity advising district councils and other stakeholders on open space provision, planning policy and the protection of greenspace.
Nick Golding
Senior Policy and External Relations Officer
Tel: 07798 534701
Email: nick.golding@local.gov.ukNick is the District Councils’ Network communications lead and also plays a key role in two policy workstreams. These are the ones on levelling up and local leadership.
He joined the DCN in June 2022, having previously been the editor of Local Government Chronicle for eight years. This gave him gave him oversight of LGC’s written content, both online and in print, as well as the title’s events and the LGC Awards.
In his journalism career Nick also held leading roles on Health Service Journal and Community Care magazines, and was a reporter on local newspapers including the Enfield Gazette and Advertiser, and the Sutton Coldfield Observer.
Luke Masters
Policy and Partnerships Officer
Tel: 07721 483316
Email: luke.masters@local.gov.ukLuke jointed the DCN in July 2022 and is working to support a number of workstreams including the network’s work on homelessness prevention, green growth, and sustainable finance for districts. Prior to joining the team, Luke spent 2 years working in Democratic and Electoral Services for Mole Valley District Council, shortly after graduating with a degree in Law and Spanish. At university he spent 4 years running a community cinema, so he is passionate about supporting district art and culture services
Member Councils
- Adur District Council
- Amber Valley Borough Council
- Arun District Council
- Ashfield District Council
- Ashford Borough Council
- Babergh District Council
- Basildon Borough Council
- Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council
- Bassetlaw District Council
- Blaby District Council
- Bolsover District Council
- Boston Borough Council
- Braintree District Council
- Breckland Council
- Brentwood Borough Council
- Broadland District Council
- Bromsgrove District Council
- Broxbourne Borough Council
- Broxtowe Borough Council
- Burnley Borough Council
- Cambridge City Council
- Cannock Chase District Council
- Canterbury City Council
- Castle Point Borough Council
- Charnwood Borough Council
- Chelmsford City Council
- Cheltenham Borough Council
- Cherwell District Council
- Chesterfield Borough Council
- Chichester District Council
- Chorley Borough Council
- Colchester Borough Council
- Cotswold District Council
- Crawley Borough Council
- Dacorum Borough Council
- Dartford Borough Council
- Derbyshire Dales District Council
- Dorset Council
- Dover District Council
- East Cambridgeshire District Council
- East Devon District Council
- East Hampshire District Council
- East Herts Council
- East Lindsey District Council
- East Staffordshire Borough Council
- East Suffolk Council
- Eastbourne Borough Council
- Eastleigh Borough Council
- Elmbridge Borough Council
- Epping Forest District Council
- Epsom and Ewell Borough Council
- Erewash Borough Council
- Exeter City Council
- Fareham Borough Council
- Fenland District Council
- Forest of Dean District Council
- Folkestone and Hythe District Council
- Fylde Borough Council
- Gedling Borough Council
- Gloucester City Council
- Gravesham Borough Council
- Great Yarmouth Borough Council
- Guildford Borough Council
- Harborough District Council
- Harlow District Council
- Hart District Council
- Hastings Borough Council
- Havant Borough Council
- Hertsmere Borough Council
- High Peak Borough Council
- Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council
- Horsham District Council
- Huntingdonshire District Council
- Hyndburn Borough Council
- Ipswich Borough Council
- King’s Lynn & West Norfolk Borough Council
- Lancaster City Council
- Lewes District Council
- Lichfield District Council
- Lincoln City Council
- Maidstone Borough Council
- Maldon District Council
- Malvern Hills District Council
- Mansfield District Council
- Melton Borough Council
- Mid Devon District Council
- Mid Suffolk District Council
- Mid Sussex District Council
- Mole Valley District Council
- New Forest District Council
- Newark & Sherwood District Council
- Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council
- North Devon District Council
- North East Derbyshire District Council
- North Hertfordshire District Council
- North Kesteven District Council
- North Norfolk District Council
- North Northamptonshire Council
- North Warwickshire Borough Council
- North West Leicestershire District Council
- Norwich City Council
- Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council
- Oadby and Wigston Borough Council
- Oxford City Council
- Pendle Borough Council
- Preston City Council
- Redditch Borough Council
- Reigate and Banstead Borough Council
- Ribble Valley Borough Council
- Rochford District Council
- Rossendale Borough Council
- Rother District Council
- Rugby Borough Council
- Runnymede Borough Council
- Rushcliffe Borough Council
- Rushmoor Borough Council
- Sevenoaks District Council
- South Cambridgeshire District Council
- South Derbyshire District Council
- South Hams District Council
- South Holland District Council
- South Kesteven District Council
- South Norfolk District Council
- South Oxfordshire District Council
- South Ribble Borough Council
- South Staffordshire Council
- Spelthorne Borough Council
- St Albans City and District Council
- Stafford Borough Council
- Staffordshire Moorlands District Council
- Stevenage Borough Council
- Stratford-on-Avon District Council
- Stroud District Council
- Surrey Heath Borough Council
- Swale Borough Council
- Tamworth Borough Council
- Tandridge District Council
- Teignbridge District Council
- Tendring District Council
- Test Valley Borough Council
- Tewkesbury Borough Council
- Thanet District Council
- Three Rivers District Council
- Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council
- Torridge District Council
- Tunbridge Wells Borough Council
- Uttlesford District Council
- Vale of White Horse District Council
- Warwick District Council
- Watford Borough Council
- Waverley Borough Council
- Wealden District Council
- Welwyn Hatfield Council
- West Devon Borough Council
- West Lancashire Borough Council
- West Lindsey District Council
- West Northamptonshire Council
- West Oxfordshire District Council
- West Suffolk Council
- Winchester City Council
- Woking Borough Council
- Worcester City Council
- Worthing Borough Council
- Wychavon District Council
- Wyre Borough Council
- Wyre Forest District Council
