Organisation Membership: North Northamptonshire Council

North Northamptonshire Council is using its longstanding Organisation Membership of the Institute of Economic Development (iED) to provide professional recognition for its economic development team, connect colleagues with the wider profession, and access valuable networking, insight and development opportunities.

The council’s relationship with the iED stretches back to before North Northamptonshire Council was created as a unitary authority in 2021.

Greg Ward, Service Manager for Economic Development at North Northamptonshire Council, had previously been an individual member while working at South Northamptonshire Council. When he moved to Kettering Borough Council in 2018, one of his priorities was to establish an organisational relationship with the Institute. Kettering subsequently became an organisation member, with membership transferring to North Northamptonshire Council following local government reorganisation. Today, colleagues across economic development and related services are registered as iED members.

“I went to our economic development manager at the time and said, ‘We really should be a member of the Institute of Economic Development’,” Greg recalled. “As an economic development professional for quite a long time now, I saw the value straight away. Wherever I’ve gone in different councils, I’ve pushed it because it was beneficial to me. One of the most important benefits I have experienced is the professional recognition that comes with iED membership.

“My story is that it’s helped me enormously because I came from a non-traditional background in terms of my own education. The reason I joined the iED was to put MIED after my name. That was what it was about to start with but then I realised the wider benefit of membership, because it’s all about networks. It’s been worth every penny.”

Through his involvement with the Institute, Greg has also been able to engage with economic development professionals at different levels of seniority and experience. He sees particular value in bringing together practitioners to exchange ideas and experiences – something he believes has become increasingly important as the structures that previously connected local economic development professionals have changed.

Value for money is another important consideration for North Northamptonshire Council, particularly against the backdrop of continuing financial pressures across local government.

Having experience of the council’s memberships of several other professional and business organisations, Greg believes the iED compares favourably. “The iED is very good value for money – not cheap, value for money, because that’s a different thing,” he explained. “In terms of membership cost, I think for councils it is particularly good value for money.”

Organisation Membership enables North Northamptonshire Council to extend membership across its team. Current members span economic development, sustainability, digital and electric vehicles, and external funding, giving colleagues across interconnected disciplines access to the Institute and its varied activities.

The iED Annual Conference has provided another opportunity to access leading economic development thinking and build connections across the profession. Greg recalls attending previous policy discussions and launches at the event and sees the calibre of speakers and contributors as a significant attraction.

He also believes the Institute itself has evolved considerably during his years as a member.

“My dialogue about the iED now is how much it’s changed in quite a short time,” he said. “Now it’s much more dynamic, lively and exciting. It’s those connections at the conference and other events that really make it stand out.”

Greg’s relationship with the iED has developed from initially seeking professional recognition into a much broader connection with the economic development community. He has also served voluntarily as an iED Board Member since 2020.

That positive experience has led him to champion membership throughout his career and encourage colleagues, as well as others considering careers related to economic development, to become involved.

For Greg, that advocacy comes from the impact membership has had on his own professional journey. “I’m invested in it because it’s helped me enormously,” he concluded. “I believe in what it’s trying to achieve.”

Case study developed: September 2026