Solace
Good councils make effective use of consultants
'While it’s easy to dismiss reports criticising spend on consultants it is worth reflecting on what consultants bring to our organisations, whether we are clear on their purpose and ensure we focus our spend in those areas that rebuild capacity at a time when it is most needed,' says Graeme McDonald.
A Faer Point
Following last week’s by-election results, Martin Tucker ponders the electoral changing of the guard that underpins our democratic local government system.
Taking public health right to the top
Many directors of public health have the leadership approach, experience and technical ability to make excellent chief executives and they need the opportunities to reach the top role, says Julia Weldon.
REVEALED: Productivity plan demands toothless
Councils have been told Whitehall will be unable to force them to submit productivity plans.
Chiefs back ethnicity pay gap reporting
Council chiefs have backed proposals that would place a duty on local authorities to collect data and report on staffing, pay and outcomes by ethnicity.
Welcome to a bright future
The benefits of developing the sector’s own talent is self-evident, says Cllr Abi Brown. By taking on a National Graduate Development Programme candidate, councils get extra capacity and capability to better reflect the communities they serve.
Time for a new economic playbook for place
More than ever, place-making needs to be at the centre of what councils do and not at a single spatial level. A coherent national plan is needed, says Robin Tuddenham.
Officer warning over street votes
Senior council officers have issued a scathing response to plans for street-level planning votes – dismissing the idea as a costly and complex ‘proliferation of polls’.
United we stand
Graeme McDonald says the workforce challenges facing the sector are something that cannot be solved by councils alone, and he gives some tips on how local government can stem the tide.
Solace: Marking 50 years in local government
With all the change that has happened over 50 years it feels like the time is right for another local government reset, says Graeme McDonald.
Expanding Oflog’s vision
Jack Shaw says the Office for Local Government needs to go further than its current long-term vision, and moving to a statutory footing would mean it could set up a more robust performance regime.
Uplifting diverse talent
Mark Lawrence and Angela Carr of Stroud DC explain what they have gained from Solace’s AMPlify development programme supporting the progression of diverse talent in local government leadership.
How can further local authority failures be prevented?
There is evidence in a new report from Grant Thornton that in each case of serious local government failure one or more links in the chain of safeguards has been weak or altogether broken, says Paul Dossett.
The Autumn Statement leaves councils to solve their own problems
Few expected the King’s Speech and Autumn Statement to be the silver bullet that solved local government’s problems, says Graeme McDonald, but there is nothing to change the big picture
Climate action’s delicate high-wire act
Jonathan Stephenson says reaching net zero is a monumental task that demands unity - a coming together of local authorities, the private sector, universities, and communities.
Creative solution are emerging to enable the leisure sector to thrive
The financial difficulties of the last few years have led many leisure centres to the edge of closure. William Benson sets out the challenges but says there is still plenty of room for optimism.
Inexcusable: The woeful state of diversity
After shameful research highlighted the woeful lack of diversity in the local government workforce, Nazeya Hussain and Chris Naylor challenge the sector to speed up the painfully slow progress being made.
Councils are benched in the King’s Speech
It is disappointing to see nothing to resolve the woes of the sector in the King's Speech, says Heather Jameson – 'or to indicate councils may just provide some of the solutions for national issues'.
We need diverse teams of decision makers
Kathy O 'Leary says 'there are people in our workforces and communities who need our advocacy, and we need to make a credible commitment to improvement, ensuring they are better represented and their voices are heard'.
A Faer Point
Martin Tucker looks at how a chief executive can approach dealing with 'a conflict seemingly beyond their remit or power to resolve, but which could have a devastating effect on their organisation' - and protect their resilience.