Author Profile

Graeme McDonald

Graeme McDonald

Director of the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives

Articles by Graeme McDonald

The new Government has the chance to reboot the long-outdated council finance system

By Graeme McDonald | 04 June 2024

Without more support we can expect another 20 councils to be added to the list of those receiving...

TPA analysis of senior local government pay is relentlessly unsophisticated

By Graeme McDonald | 22 April 2024

Graeme McDonald says: 'Perhaps the diminishing number of national news outlets covering the TPA’s...

Good councils make effective use of consultants

By Graeme McDonald | 13 March 2024

'While it’s easy to dismiss reports criticising spend on consultants it is worth reflecting on wh...

United we stand

By Graeme McDonald | 05 February 2024

Graeme McDonald says the workforce challenges facing the sector are something that cannot be solv...

Solace: Marking 50 years in local government

By Graeme McDonald | 29 January 2024

With all the change that has happened over 50 years it feels like the time is right for another l...

The Autumn Statement leaves councils to solve their own problems

By Graeme McDonald | 27 November 2023

Few expected the King’s Speech and Autumn Statement to be the silver bullet that solved local gov...

The only path out of our recruitment and retention crisis is investment in people

By Graeme McDonald | 18 October 2023

Graeme McDonald says the sector's investment in people has a way to travel to get back to the lev...

Many councils are finding their own solutions in a time of crises

By Graeme McDonald | 04 September 2023

The media has been full of negative stories about local government, says Graeme McDonald. A more...

Time for reflection on council failures

By Graeme McDonald | 17 July 2023

We should all recognise the need to improve standards in public life more broadly, not least as l...

We have a major opportunity to turn the economic tide

By Graeme McDonald | 05 June 2023

Giving councils statutory powers over economic development alongside the right funding would brin...