A new development document has been unveiled by the Local Government Association (LGA), in what it describes as the “essential starting point” for all local government CEOs.
The Local Government Chief Executives’ Development Framework is the result of a collaboration between the LGA and Solace, as well as more than 100 CEOs, councillors, and other key stakeholders.
The framework will stay agile and contemporary, according to the LGA, as it has been designed to continuously evolve and mould itself to the current day’s pressures. It has seven core themes:
- The core chief executive role
- Politics and the political interface
- Good governance
- Public ethics
- Continuous improvement
- Resource management
- Managerial leadership
Organisations like Lawyers in Local Government, the Charted Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, and the Centre for Governance and Scrutiny have joined forces with framework collaborators to ensure the modules are the brainchild of subject matter experts.
“This innovative programme provides an essential starting point for the development of chief executives in local government and the feedback received so far has been overwhelmingly positive,” said the chair of the LGA’s improvement and innovation board, Cllr Abi Brown OBE.
She added: “I am delighted that the LGA and Solace, with funding from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities are now able to develop and launch this programme in full.
“This will ensure a consistent understanding of the role of the local government chief executive and bespoke development for officers taking up this challenging role. We would encourage all councils to see this as an essential first step in the development of newly appointed chief executives.”
An evaluation of the pilot modules was conducted by the Institute of Local Government Studies in conjunction the University of Birmingham and found a healthy appetite for a full programme, with both new and existing CEOs engaging.
“As a previous council chief executive and as the Chief Executive of the LGA, it is excellent to see the establishment of this new programme dedicated to the role,” commented the LGA’s CEO, Joanna Killian.
She highlighted that this is a unique and first-of-its-kind development for local government.
Killian continued: “Leadership in local government is challenging and complex, with constant changes and new demands. Unlike other sectors like the NHS, there has not previously been a bespoke development programme for local government chief executives.
“From my discussions with chief executives, I know they will see this development framework and programme as an essential foundation stone for the future of their role.”
Image credit: iStock
