Croydon Council
Lara Ashley, PhD, is an experienced executive in organizational development and change management, currently serving as the Executive Change Advisor for Housing Transformation at Croydon Council since June 2022. As the Managing Director and Founder of Ashley Consulting Ltd since 2006, Lara has led teams in delivering diverse interventions aimed at enhancing organizational effectiveness. Previous roles include Executive Change Advisor at Lewisham Homes, where a culture change program was devised to improve service delivery for 20,000 residents, and Interim Strategic Director of Organizational Development at Tower Hamlets Homes, overseeing a transformational People Strategy. Lara's earlier career includes consultancy positions at BAA, The Management Centre, and Aon Consulting, alongside a robust academic background with a PhD in Management and Systems from Cass Business School.
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Croydon Council
We provide a large number of services for local people, businesses and visitors to the borough, including services for children and adults, and environmental, cultural, sports, housing, planning and benefits services. The borough is split into 24 electoral wards, and local elections are held every four years. With a workforce of about 10,500 staff, including teachers in schools, Croydon Council is the largest employer in the borough. Spending over £900 million per year, the council makes a significant contribution to the local economy. The council comprises three main political functions, the Executive (Leader and Cabinet), Committees, and Scrutiny. The Leader and Cabinet are responsible and accountable for shaping policies and plans and recommending them to the council for approval. Cabinet also gives direction to departmental directors on the way services are managed and the budgets allocated to them. Six non-executive committees take decisions relating to planning, licensing, standards of behaviour and conduct for members and officers, staffing issues, tenders, property transactions, liaison with local utility companies and internal audit. Scrutiny holds the council executive functions to account. Examining aspects of council performance, the Overview and Scrutiny Committee also increasingly involves other local agencies which contribute to the economic, social and environmental well-being of the local population.