Political leadership of a local authority is never easy. In this period of austerity and years of unprecedented expenditure cuts, it has surely never been more challenging - or more important.

Local government is a critical part of our democratic governance. Local authorities are political organisations.

They require political leadership not just managerial, professional, technical or administrative –although inevitably the most effective local authorities are those in which there is both exemplar political and executive leadership complementarily working together and adding value.

So why is political leadership so vital at a time and in an environment where one might sympathise with rational politicians being tempted to stand aside?  I contend that political leadership is essential in order to:

• focus on agreed strategic objectives and outcomes for a ‘place'
• make the hard and difficult ‘choices' about resource allocation and budgets
• ensure that those choices are based both on political values and policies; and in the genuine interests (including the least damaging impact) of local people, communities and businesses
• ensure that there is public and electoral accountability for these decisions and the wider stewardship of the local authority and the place

Tony Benn used to argue that in a democracy, you have to know who makes decisions, where their authority and power comes from, and where necessary, to be able to sack them for making those decisions. 

The public is entitled to know that elected local politicians are making decisions on their behalf and that they, the public, have the ability to hold them to account through the ballot box.  In contrast, public ‘officials' cannot be held to account in this way. Without this capacity and distinction, local government would cease to be part of our governance and I suggest we would all be poorer.

Locally elected political leaders also have mandates to challenge and if necessary oppose central government and its dictates. This is not something that public officials can or should do.

Locally elected politicians are in a stronger position than public officials to seek to influence, persuade and challenge other public sector (or indeed business and voluntary sector) organisations within their place. This strength arises from their democratic authority and mandate.

Faced with the prospects of ever deeper and more serious cuts over this current spending review period (noting that only about 40% of cuts have yet been implemented) and even more to come after the general election in 2015, council leaders and elected mayors must:

• be resilient, resolute and focused
• values driven and strategic
• have clear policy goals and ensure that these are implemented by their authorities' professional staff
• ‘listen' to and take heed of local citizens, service users, staff, service providers, the local voluntary and community sector and local businesses
• communicate well with these and all stakeholders.

This communication, both listening and talking, should include:

• understanding what the various stakeholders want and need
• discussing options and ‘trade-offs' between options; and consulting on these
• explaining why the local authority is being forced to make cuts (the public is entitled to know what national policies mean for their place and their services) and its unavoidable statutory and moral responsibilities
• being able to say ‘no' and take unpopular decisions
• describing the political, values based and other criteria which are used to determine budget and resource allocations – investment and cuts
• promoting confidence in the political leadership and the local authority
• building alliances across the sectors to offer both service solutions and political resistance

Political council leaders will wish to, and should be partisan but they also should also ensure that they act responsibly and in a responsive manner to local citizens, communities and businesses.

They have to have excellent advice from their local authority professionals and executive leaders.

They have to understand the implications, ideally based on thorough assessment and analysis, of decisions they have and/or are considering taking. They need timely and accurate performance data as well as information, experience and ideas being adopted elsewhere in the UK and beyond.

Council leaders have to be careful not to be seduced by ideas and approaches which superficially may seem very attractive but which are either not sustainable and/or fall outside their political values base.

They have to have the confidence to allow innovation and experimentation, as well as to consider options which may not fit their traditional mind-set and politics.

And above all in these challenging times, council leaders have to ensure that they have appointed high calibre officers and to have sustained confidence in these officers. They must be able to test proposals, plans and performance from these officers.

Executive and political leaders have to agree jointly to plans that are achievable and which are going to deliver the policy as well as the financial goals of the authority. This is not the time for unrealistic grandiose plans that will cost money but not deliver. Nor is it the time for timidity and incremental change. 

Local authorities, local places and communities require bold and effective local political leadership as never before. And whilst this may appear to be one of the most unattractive and challenging times to be a council leader and senior cabinet member for all the reasons outlined earlier in this article, I actually believe that it is an incredible time to be a political leader.

The only way in which people (especially the most vulnerable, communities) and local economies are going to be protected and in a position to thrive will be as a result of high quality, local political action and leadership.

Click here for Part 1: Candid facts for candidates

John Tizard is an independent strategic advisor and commentator on public policy and public services. He was previously the founder director of the Centre for Public Service Partnerships and prior to that was a senior executive at Capita and at Scope. He has been a councillor and a leader of a county council