LGIU's Head of Research, Dr Andrew Walker, talks to Dr Kevin Muldoon Smith about systems of local government finance and governance around the world. Dr Muldoon-Smith is an Associate Professor in Strategic Public Sector Finance and Urban Adaptation at Northumbria University and is working with LGIU's Local Democracy Research Centre on an international comparison project exploring different systems of funding.00:00 - Introduction02:10 - Short introduction to Kevin's career and work on local government governance and finance issues04:29 - Built environment - the nexus of policy, politics and power07:19 - LGIU's international local government finance project, a summary of what we know about different systems and how those structures help local government respond to the big global challenges15:27 - What does it take to enable change to take place in an existing system19:43 - The LGIU's upcoming paper on the local government finance system in Australia25:35 - What do the different systems around the world mean for the experiences of residents and local government staff30:15 - The role for academics and think tanks in promoting the argument for change