Management
Putting it on paper
An 'extremely long piece of paper' helped her finance team to understand 'what an integral part they have to play for our stakeholders', says Adele Taylor.
Chief executives will get access to the guidance, knowledge and support they need
Joanne Roney says she intends to ensure Solace provides accessible and self-managed development options to all in a timely and appropriate format.
All managers have to anticipate
Managers need to be able to distinguish growing problems from everyday problems, says Blair Mcpherson
How agile is your council?
Local authorities are struggling to implement flexible change programmes, a new survey by The MJ and PA Consulting has found. Michael Burton reports
How do you close down a council?
Two new unitaries – Dorset Council and BCP Council – came into being on 1 April this year. Mike Harries looks at how to successfully close down a council, focusing mainly on the journey taken by Dorset CC as it planned for its own demise
Second management overhaul for Grenfell council in two years
Further changes will be made to Kensington & Chelsea LBC’s management structure to ‘make it fit for 2020 and beyond’.
Setting the right playing field
Donna Hall assesses the value of strong belief systems against the all too common trend to measure progress in a mechanical manner, and says the public sector can benefit from an adaptable take on the former
New shared leadership team for council pair
Two councils that recently reinstated the position of joint chief executive have laid out plans to appoint a new shared leadership team.
Doubts over future of Kent councils' housing company
The fate of a housing company established by four councils in Kent hangs in the balance after a catalogue of failings was uncovered.
New management model with no chief approved
Redcar and Cleveland BC hopes to save about £220,000 per year after scrapping its chief executive role as part of a new management model.
Exclusive: Chief execs' survey highlights tensions of 'challenging politics'
Tensions between chief executives and their leaders are under greater scrutiny because of ‘challenging politics,’ a survey by Penna and The MJ has found.
Collaborative leadership for thriving places
PlaceMakers is a programme that brings local leaders from all sectors together to develop a collective understanding of their place. Anna Randle and Alex Khaldi explain why single-sector leadership development programmes are not enough.
‘Extraordinary pressures’ call for extraordinary resilience
Penna’s latest annual survey of chief executives, in partnership with The MJ, highlights their latest perspectives and organisational priorities. Ann McGauran looks at the results.
Rewards of cross-party collaboration
Kathy O'Leary says that with trust in national politicians at an all-time low, local government is thinking more about its relevance to the communities it serves through collaboration that begins with putting people and place first.
Throw the officers under the bus
In the wake of the events leading to the Darroch resignation, Blair Mcpherson says local government officers, like civil servants, are expected to provide impartial advice rather than tell politicians what they want to hear - and that means giving unvarnished assessments of proposed partners or contractors.
Management review for Stratford
Stratford-on-Avon DC will carry out a review of its management structure after its head of paid service walked out the door after just seven months.
Being creative local leaders is more important than ever
In the context of the current funding risks and uncertainty, councils need to be thinking even more creatively about how they can take a leadership role in terms of solving some of the issues facing our communities, argues Adele Taylor.
Brum’s turnaround plan should have come sooner
Birmingham City Council has created a new model of intervention, says Heather Jameson - 'but it should have happened before now'.
A bad influence for the better
Blair Mcpherson explains why it could be a good thing for a manager to be a bad influence.
Resilient and determined women make their mark
Ken Lyon reflects on the positive and long-lasting influence the sector’s most senior women officers have had on developing the next generation of chiefs.