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I am writing this article in the middle of my second week as the shared chief executive of Chorley and Wyre BCs. It's been an interesting couple of weeks. I have really learned a lot about time management across two organisations. The partnership with Chorley developed relatively quickly, with both councils agreeing to go ahead with the shared chief executive arrangement within a matter of weeks. One of the benefits of this approach has been that the doubters have not had sufficient time to build up the weight of argument against the proposal. However, it has brought some challenging diary-management issues to light. The two councils are 30 miles apart, but have many similarities in terms of the scale of their ambition for local residents. Both are high-performing and business-like operations, with great teams of officers and members. But both have very different cultures, and it is interesting to work across the two. I agreed to take on both roles for the same salary I am on now, partly as a development opportunity as well as sending the right message to staff when there are so many cutbacks in the public sector – and there will be many more over the next few years. One thing I have learned in the last couple of weeks is how to prioritise more effectively to make best use of my time. A shared chief executive is not doing two jobs, it is a completely different job. The new job is about strategy, leadership, corporate discipline, reputation, culture, transformation. In order to survive, I think we need to work out how to manage the other stuff that, as chief executives, we are paid too much to spend our time dealing with, and which other professionals in the organisation are better equipped to deal with anyway. The practical stuff takes time to sort out too. For example, two sets of e-mails, two diaries, meetings which clash 30 miles apart, and 102 members all wanting to see me all on the same afternoon. But there is never a dull moment, and much learning to be gained by both organisations – and more than £135,000 saved in a couple of weeks isn't bad. Donna Hall is shared chief executive Chorley and Wyre BCs

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WHITEHALL

District View

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