The key relationship between officers and members is the one between the leader of the council and the chief executive (CE). This relationship sets the tone within the organisation.
CEs are like senior civil servants. They pride themselves on their professionalism, believing they can work with any leader and party irrespective of their ideology. This has been tested in the past in some councils when far right councillors were elected. But it's one thing to have a small number of far right councillors with little power or influence it is quite another when they are the largest party and form the administration.
