Learning and development: a nice to have or an essential component of the employer offer? All too often we see L&D offered up as a sacrifice at the altar of budget savings. And why wouldn't we, when the alternative might be reducing support for vulnerable residents or cleaning the streets a little less?

 Well I'm here to suggest that this well-trodden path is a false economy - the road to more costs, higher staff turnover and fewer objectives met.

 Take communications, for example. Good communications professionals have transferable skills that mean they can work pretty much anywhere. If they choose to work for you, they will help the council deliver savings, generate income, build trust with communities, boost staff morale, and help manage crises. They're the kind of people you want around - helpful and ‘can do', adaptable and committed. But the communications world is moving at an eye-watering pace, and rapidly expanding into newer areas like public affairs and consultation and engagement. Jump back just 10 years and how we communicate today would be unrecognisable. Keeping up with AI and disinformation or attracting audiences in the chaos of social media is hard enough if you're a multinational company with budgets of billions, let alone a struggling council.

 At LGcomms, we work hard as a group of volunteers who are passionate about supporting our sector, to make sure local communicators keep up. Our annual Academy conference is packed with learning that every council communicator needs to know, supporting their development at every stage of their career, and encouraging cross-sector learning and sharing - it offers incredible value for money. We want good professional communicators to stay in our sector, to feel valued and supported, and to progress through the ranks. We want them to be the very best they can be, to deliver for local people. So today, please ask your comms teams whether they're signed up for Academy in Bristol next month, and encourage them to do so. It will show them you understand the value they bring, and that you believe in their potential to deliver even more for your council.

 

Louise Neilan is Chair of LGcomms (in her spare time), and assistant director of communications and engagement at Thurrock Council.

 

• Academy 2025 is in Bristol on July 10-11. For more information visit here
• LGcommunications (LGcomms) is a national body, run by volunteers, working together to raise the standard of communications in the public sector, with more than 200 members nationwide. Find out more here