First elected to Stoke-on-Trent City Council in 2010, Abi has served her much loved city in both administration and opposition. From 2015 until 2023, as first deputy leader and then leader, Abi led a number of landmark projects that have transformed the face of Stoke-on-Trent, including leading the Ceramic Valley Enterprise Zone from inception to one of the most successful EZs in the country, the city’s shortlisted bid to be City of Culture 2021, and Stoke-on-Trent’s nationally acclaimed Fostering Friendly City campaign, which sees the city have the highest number of fostering friendly employers in the country.
Bringing together her passion for Stoke-on-Trent with a determination to drive real change, Abi helped secured the largest ever Levelling Up Fund allocation for any single place as part of a campaign that has brought over £100m of government investment to the city, and shone a spotlight on how place based policy making led by local leaders could influence across government. Abi has given evidence to select committees, led No 10 cross governmental round tables and has been credited with influencing national policymaking from asylum and housing, to culture and devolution.
With experience of working at local, regional and national level on a number of agendas, Abi has also been an active member of the LGA since 2018, currently chairing the Improvement and Innovation Board, alongside being an active peer mentor working across a number of local authorities providing support and guidance.
