Speaking at event organised by Leicestershire County Council and the Midlands Highway Alliance to inform other local authorities about the TPS Professional Development Scheme, the County’s Cabinet member for Environment and Transport, Councillor Lesley Pendleton stressed the importance of staff development and retention in achieving the excellence the authority strives for.

Councillor Mrs Pendleton explained how pleased the County Council is to be working with TPS in supporting the TPS Professional Development Scheme, PDS, saying "we have put heart and soul into training.  Offering the TPS PDS has enabled us to upskill our own workforce.  We are preparing for the future to ensure we have the appropriate and skilled staff for the long term; we want to have a good work environment so people stay with us".

Introduced by Ian Drummond, the County’s Assistant Director of Transportation and attended by staff from a number of Local Authorities, the event was addressed by Martin Richards TPP and Keith Mitchell TPP about the TPS PDS and the TPP, together with three graduates the County have recently recruited for training under the TPS PDS and Peter Barclay, Manager of the Midlands Highways Alliance.  Ian Drummond explained that the County Council had adopted the TPS PDS to help make sure that it is properly equipped to face the increasing challenges in transport planning and provision over coming years.  "The world in which we work becomes more complex year on year and we must ensure that we develop highly skilled transport planners now, so they can tackle these issues well in the future. Transport planning is a long term investment; this is our way to ensure that Leicestershire has the best skills for the long term."

Harry Horsley, Jennifer Hill and  Andrew Avison, Leicestershire's three graduates recruited to follow the TPS PDS, at the County's PDS Event.

Keith Buchan, TPS Chair, said at the meeting "TPS is undertaking a range of actions to support its members in the recession and supporting the skills base is a key element.  It is very encouraging that Leicestershire is so whole-heartedly behind the TPS PDS, that it really understands the benefits to both it and its staff of being committed to the Scheme, and to encouraging staff to work towards the TPP qualification".