How people feel about work – and the environment in which we do it – is ever more important in these interesting times we are living through as a nation and in public services.
Wellbeing, a sense of purpose and psychological safety are now recognised as fundamental in creating productive, high functioning workplaces. Beyond the fact that happy people tend to be more productive, every individual should be entitled to safety, dignity and respect at work and working in local government should be no exception.
Sadly, while most interactions on a daily level are appropriate and positive, Solace (the Society of Local Government Chief Executives and Senior Managers) is hearing how challenging the operating environment can be for staff at all levels.
This is contributing to an uptick in incivility, poor standards and unacceptable behaviour across local government, which undermines not only staff, but also the communities who depend on our work.
In our 2024 survey, 42% of female respondents reported experiencing harassment or abuse related to protected characteristics, compared with 19% of men. More than a quarter (28%) had received abuse or intimidation.
As many of us head into the local elections in May, tensions may increase. While heightened passion is rightly expected, it must not spill into abuse.
Recently, I co-chaired a round table with the Local Government Association, joined by all the major sector professional bodies. The discussion revealed a powerful sense of escalation in poor behaviour – sometimes between officers and elected members, but it was striking how increasingly this is from members of the public.
Of all the councils we examined, each reported rising threats and intimidation. My own authority has not been spared. In Calderdale, we recently secured our first full injunction relating to an individual whose children are in the care system.
Our annual Health and Safety report tells a similar story to those elsewhere, with 292 reported incidents of violence and aggression towards staff in 2024-25 – an increase of 48 from the previous year.
The consequences of incivility are not evenly felt. Solace's surveys show harassment, intimidation and abuse disproportionately affects women and people of colour.
In our 2024 survey, 42% of female respondents reported experiencing harassment or abuse related to protected characteristics, compared with 19% of men. More than a quarter (28%) had received abuse or intimidation.
These experiences have real organisational impact. They undermine recruitment and retention, especially in roles where handling conflict is part of daily life, such as monitoring officers and corporate complaints teams.
Concerns about incivility are now a dominant topic in conversations with newly-appointed chief executives.
Solace will soon be surveying our members again on these issues, so if you are a member, please participate – the more data we have, the stronger our arguments for change.
Change is needed because unlike every other part of the public sector, local government has lacked a robust standards regime and effective means to address unacceptable behaviour in the political environment.
But, there is light at the end of the tunnel, with the Government's response to its consultation on strengthening the standards regime signalling an opportunity for much-needed reform.
We hope these proposals will be legislated for in the next parliamentary session. Local government must be ready to work with government to swiftly implement these reforms so that momentum is not lost.
Last autumn, Solace launched its Commission on Professional Ethics and Standards to gather evidence, develop tools and produce a final report in support of future leadership in the sector.
Already, the Commission has published guidance on Managing Political Transition to a New Administration, offering practical advice for the many authorities going to the polls this year and, more broadly, for senior leaders.
We are also finalising a tool to help organisations identify when their culture may not be optimal – and what they can do about it.
However, these interventions do not address the wider context of incivility in public life, the need for leaders to call out poor behaviour, for strong systems to support staff and effective action to prevent, address and ultimately take formal action in the most serious instances of abuse and poor behaviour of our workforce.
Solace is clear of our role in this as the membership body for chief executives and senior officers.
Local government could be better at amplifying the positives about working in the sector. Local government staff are people who want the best for their communities, often living in or near the places they serve, carrying out vital work in complex circumstances. We need to rebuild pride in public service, celebrate those who deliver it, so we can attract and retain the best leaders for these critical roles.
Recently, Solace released a 10- minute film featuring the insights and reflections of more than 50 people working for councils across the UK – from building control officers and social workers to senior leaders. It celebrates the talent within local government and highlights both the challenges and opportunities ahead. Above all, the film shows the passion and energy people have for working in local government.
Many of us recognise that working in roles with the power to influence people and places positively is a privilege. We not only have agency, but purpose.
Given all the good local government does, it is unacceptable that rising incivility and poor behaviour are dragging the sector down. It is time for us collectively to seize the opportunity of reform, to call out bad behaviour wherever it occurs and to send a clear message to ourselves, to government and to the public: enough is enough.
Robin Tuddenham is Solace president and chief executive of Calderdale MBC
