Michael Burton is one of the UK’s foremost commentators on Local Government and has been writing on the subject for over 20 years. He regularly speaks at and chairs conferences on public sector issues and contributes to the local and national media.

He is editor of The MJ (Municipal Journal) and editorial director of its parent company, publishers and event organisers, The Hemming Group, overseeing its growing portfolio of local government titles. Apart from The MJ and its annual MJ Awards, these include the Municipal Year Book, Local Government News, Surveyor and the local government website www.localgov.co.uk

A former external examiner for the Cardiff University School of Journalism, Michael was shortlisted as Editor of the Year for the British Association of Magazine Editors Awards 2008.

He is a history graduate of Sussex University where he specialised in 20th century France, spending a year at Nice University’s college of higher European studies.