At this Vital Topics event we will explore how Covid-19 has created opportunities for change across both central and local government, while our panel will also share their thoughts on the need for deeper resilience building as life gradually returns to normal in the wake of the pandemic. Much has been written over the past two years about how the pandemic will create opportunities for transformative change. But where do we stand today, and is that transformative change really likely to happen? At this Vital Topics event we will look at how Covid-19 has created opportunities for change across both central and local government, while our panel will also share their thoughts on the need for deeper resilience building as life gradually returns to normal in the wake of the pandemic. Our speakers will also explore the need for society to better engage with this agenda and at what decision-makers need to be doing to further embed the recovery among local communities. Chaired by Dr Simos Chari, joining us on our panel will be Duncan Shaw, Professor of Operational Research and Critical Systems at Alliance Manchester Business School, Dr Kathy Oldham OBE, Chief Resilience Officer for Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Andy Wright, former Chief Executive at Braintree District Council and Issa Kassis, the Mayor of Ramallah.