Political instability is once again shaping the environment in which local government operates. The recent Gorton and Denton byelection simply underlines what many already recognise: with increasingly unpredictable party politics, further change is inevitable. What that change will look like in individual councils is harder to predict.
Local government is no stranger to shifts in political direction or senior leadership turnover. But the pace, scale and volatility now facing the sector is exceptional. Combined with existing financial and organisational pressures, it creates a challenging environment where uncertainty can escalate and organisations unwittingly take great risk.
