If someone was to describe your typical council officer, what image would spring to mind? An inflexible, traditional jobsworth, who has done the same thing for many years, or perhaps a suspicious, cynical individual who seeks to resist change, at the expense of new and more innovative ways of working?

Thankfully, the latter are a dying breed, as the council officer role has evolved into something much more dynamic and exciting, with an increasing acceptance of the need to transform both within their roles, and the organisations they represent.

Today's council officer needs to embrace change and contribute towards innovative transformation solutions for delivering quality services with fewer resources.

Working with partners should be seen as the norm, not the exception, so relationship building skills are a must. There is no place for preciousness and protectionism in the pursuit of sustainable service delivery solutions.

Do the public really care who is delivering for them? Well we all know the answer to that.  Opportunities will abound for those who are brave enough to seize the new reality for the future of local public service delivery.

A change in career direction will be the inevitable outcome for those who can't, or don't want to, evolve with the times.

As the role of local councils and their officers continue to change, so will the need to develop a renewed skill set.