Paula Claytonsmith
Chief Executive at Local Council Roads Innovation GroupPaula is LCRIG’s Chief Executive and formerly its Director, Government and Strategy. Paula has had a career spanning a range of sectors including leading local government frontline services in councils, Assistant Director for a national public sector improvement agency tasked with performance improvement in councils, KPMG Government Advisory, international consulting assignments, political lobbying sector, and independent national government advisory roles as a strategist and policy advisor. Paula has also worked in executive leadership roles in the charitable sector including a major stem cell cancer charity leading their operations department and a strategic policy and lobbying role in a leading environmental charity focused on behaviour change to improve local environmental quality.
In 2015 Paula joined the Highways sector working at a Highways Technology company, she didn’t previously have a highways background but is now a passionate advocate for the industry and wonders why she never became an Engineer!
Working in the Highways sector Paula has been a guest on several BBC Radio4 programmes relating to Infrastructure, international radio and TV programmes, quoted in The Sunday Times, authored articles for IHE, CIHT, RSMA, LCRIG Insights and spoken regularly at national industry conferences both in the UK and internationally. In 2018, Paula was an expert witness to the House of Commons Transport Select Committee on Local Roads Funding and Governance with acknowledgement by the Committee Chair in the House of Commons and Hansards. Paula is a Steering Group Member for several industry groups including Road Condition Statistics (PAS 2161), NIC CAM expert group, NAO Reports, Industry think papers and provides policy advisory support the DfT Transport Technology Forum which LCRIG manages. Paula is part of the National Highways strategic Research and Innovation Advisory Board (RIAB), was a technical committee member for PIARC (World Roads Association), and latterly appointed to the Institute Highways Engineer Council.
Paula is well known for her Friday Vlogs on LinkedIn where she gets distracted by her love of nature but enjoys providing lively updates on her weekly LCRIG activities supporting members in councils, the private sector, the government, and policy and strategy arenas.
Dan Cullern
Head of Sector Insights at Local Council Roads Innovation GroupDan joined LCRIG as Head of Sector Insights in 2024 to lead on a range of research programmes and projects within the highway maintenance and transport technology sectors, significantly enhancing our sector insights capabilities.
Keely Metcalfe
Relationship Manager at Local Council Roads Innovation GroupKeely is LCRIG’s Relationship Manager and she is responsible for onboarding and supporting members. Keely has experience in customer service and account management which she gained from working in the rail sector.