We are delighted to have David Gunson as our After Dinner Speaker.

Dave Gunson is a former air traffic controller and one of the most requested after dinner speakers in the UK. He worked in air traffic control at Birmingham Airport for almost 23 years. Before that, he served in the Royal Air Force flying Shackletons in the Coastal Command. His hilarious and smooth presentation does nothing to allay the fears of would-be passengers, and he leaves them with the nagging doubt that it is all true.

The Society of Procurement Officers in Local Government (SOPO) would like to thank everyone who submitted nominations for the Outstanding Achievement in Procurement Awards 2008. Shortlisted nominations will be announced soon.

The Awards, first introduced in 2002, recognise the variety of approaches to procurement made by local authorities and provide smaller authorities with a fairer chance of winning. These are the only national awards that are specific to local government procurement. Click here for further information.