Will Alsop Principal, Alsop Architects

Once dismissed as an architect whose designs were too wacky for Britain, Alsop is now the choice for turning around rundown areas. His latest commissions include the redevelopment of Barnsley, South Yorkshire, and the Fourth Grace - the centrepiece building of Liverpool's successful 2008 capital of culture bid.

Richard Best Director, Joseph Rowntree Foundation

JRF is a powerhouse of social policy research with a £7m budget. Best - appointed as a people's peer - is also masterminding an exciting building programme through the Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust - a separate charity - on a site near York that he hopes will conclusively prove that social and owner occupied housing can be mixed and make money.

Ara Darzi Professor of surgery, Imperial College

A leading medical innovator and adviser to the Department of Health, Darzi has extended the boundaries of keyhole surgery. He has persuaded ministers to adopt his model for building diagnosis and treatment centres as fast-track specialist facilities, mostly in the NHS.

Moira Gibb Chief executive, Camden council

Gibb gained one of the most prestigious jobs in local government this year when she was appointed to the helm of the top performing north London borough. What works in Camden is likely to become a model for other councils. A former president of the Association of Directors of Social Services, Gibb previously ran Kensington and Chelsea's housing and social services department in west London.

Peter Gilroy Strategic director of social services, Kent county council

The director of one of the largest social services departments, Gilroy has won praise for his initiatives to deal with the rise in asylum seekers, particularly unaccompanied children, entering the area. Despite the challenges, Kent is one of the top rated departments in the country.

Norman Glass Director, National Centre for Social Research

While a Treasury official, Glass invented the SureStart programme to help families with children under five. He is busy transforming the NCSR - the biggest social research organisation in the country - expanding its influence in policy.

David Henshaw Chief executive, Liverpool city council

The man whose name has become a virtual byword for cutting-edge council management transformed Liverpool from the municipal anarchy of the 1980s under the reign of deputy council leader Derek Hatton. Henshaw was a key player in the city's successful 2008 capital of culture bid. He is perhaps best known for banning the use of internal emails on Wednesdays in an attempt to persuade staff to talk to each other.

Bob Kerslake Chief executive, Sheffield city council

A key figure in the Core Cities lobbying group of eight English cities that is establishing strong links with the Treasury, Kerslake's Sheffield symbolises the determination of areas to chart a new course. The council is part of Sheffield One, the urban regeneration company, attracting property companies and retailers back by creating business confidence.

Ken Livingstone Mayor of London

Shrewd political operator and risk taker who has consistently stepped beyond the formal limits of his mayoral powers to influence and innovate - think congestion charges and affordable housing for public sector keyworkers.

Tom Manion Chief executive, Irwell Valley housing association

Charismatic and maverick pioneer of a new system of managing affordable housing that is widely copied and is being endorsed by government. He introduced Gold Service, which rewards tenants who behave and pay rent on time with cash and a better service than those who do not.

Rhodri Morgan First minister, Wales

The Welsh assembly leader has thrown off his wild man image, not to turn himself into a moderate but to become an active force for better government in Wales. He is exploring the boundaries of the devolution settlement, carving out a distinctive Welsh take on health, social care and children's services.

Ray Mallon Mayor of Middlesbrough

Like or loathe him, as one of the new breed of independent elected mayors he has broken the Labour machine and is pioneering a distinctive style of local administration. The former police chief of Middlesbrough, known as Robocop, who introduced zero-tolerance policing in Britain, is confounding his critics by successfully tackling vandalism and burglary with a 70-strong force of community wardens, labelled "Robocop's army"; antisocial behaviour officers; drug action workers; litter wardens and rapid response squads. Blair is showing great interest in the Mallon revolution that has seen overall crime cut by 18% in a year, with street offences at an all-time low and burglaries down by 40%.

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