Management
New management model with no chief proposed
Redcar and Cleveland BC hopes to save about £220,000 per year by scrapping its chief executive role as part of a new management model.
Exclusive: Chief execs' survey highlights tensions of 'challenging politics'
Tensions between chief executives and their leaders are under greater scrutiny because of ‘challenging politics,’ a survey by Penna and The MJ has found.
Collaborative leadership for thriving places
PlaceMakers is an immersive programme that brings local leaders from all sectors together to develop a collective understanding of their place. Anna Randle explains why single-sector leadership development programmes ‘are increasingly not enough’
‘Extraordinary pressures’ call for extraordinary resilience
Penna’s latest annual survey of chief executives, in partnership with The MJ, highlights their latest perspectives and organisational priorities. Ann McGauran looks at the results.
Rewards of cross-party collaboration
Kathy O'Leary says that with trust in national politicians at an all-time low, local government is thinking more about its relevance to the communities it serves through collaboration that begins with putting people and place first.
Throw the officers under the bus
In the wake of the events leading to the Darroch resignation, Blair Mcpherson says local government officers, like civil servants, are expected to provide impartial advice rather than tell politicians what they want to hear - and that means giving unvarnished assessments of proposed partners or contractors.
Management review for Stratford
Stratford-on-Avon DC will carry out a review of its management structure after its head of paid service walked out the door after just seven months.
Being creative local leaders is more important than ever
In the context of the current funding risks and uncertainty, councils need to be thinking even more creatively about how they can take a leadership role in terms of solving some of the issues facing our communities, argues Adele Taylor.
Brum’s turnaround plan should have come sooner
Birmingham City Council has created a new model of intervention, says Heather Jameson - 'but it should have happened before now'.
A bad influence for the better
Blair Mcpherson explains why it could be a good thing for a manager to be a bad influence.
Resilient and determined women make their mark
Ken Lyon reflects on the positive and long-lasting influence the sector’s most senior women officers have had on developing the next generation of chiefs.
The current standards regime is not fit for purpose
The recommendations within the Committee for Standards in Public Life report on local government standards must be taken seriously by the sector and Whitehall, says Graeme McDonald.
Building a shared movement of local government pioneers
Nesta is bringing together a pilot group of senior council officers who will test out new operating models to find more effective and sustainable ways to meet citizens’ needs, says Jenni Lloyd.
Team Ignite keeps on rolling
Luton BC was the host for the fifth leg of the LG Challenge. Chloe Newman and Ged Perkins outline how the contestants tackled the task of designing a plan to increase the customers arriving at the airport by public transport to at least 40%, and doubling passengers to 36 million a year
Team Ignite keeps on rolling
Luton BC hosted the fifth leg of the LG Challenge. Chloe Newman and Ged Perkins outline how contestants tackled designing a plan to increase the customers arriving at Luton Airport by public transport and doubling passengers
Caring is sharing in the South West
Mel Lock explains how a network of assistant directors of adult social care, sponsored by directors across all authorities throughout the South-West, has been created to share learning and improve collaboration
Accelerating positive change with shared perspectives
Paul Little outlines how the range of new perspectives and experiences he encountered with colleagues throughout England while on the Accelerate course has helped him rise to the challenge of setting up combined health and social care teams.
Robots and Risk – what could possibly go wrong?
David Forster says that while remarkable 4th Industrial Revolution projects offer opportunities to reshape service provision, managing risk in the age of machines will be the next big challenge for risk managers and heads of governance.
Searching locally for the antidote to populism
How can local government leaders help cohesive communities to flourish in a time of growing populism and in the middle of a central political and policy vacuum? Ann McGauran reports
Still the right person for the job
Blair McPherson outlines the virtues of staying put, of resilience, and of not playing the blame game.