Leadership in Practice: Notes from the Chamber
We all know that local government leadership rarely feels as clear as it looks on paper. Whilst continuing to strive to achieve the big goals and ambitions, real time problems need attention. The only constant is change and every year gets harder with finances falling and demands rising.
Good leadership is evident in the Council chamber, committee rooms, community meetings and the everyday conversations with officers and partners. This is what shapes decisions and improves services. This is what every Councillor strives to achieve.
These notes are simply reflections on some of the issues, challenges and debates that come up in local government life. From councillor induction and chairing meetings to planning, community engagement and the realities of Local Government Reorganisation, I’ll share occasional thoughts on what leadership looks like in practice.
Sometimes they will draw on experience from working with councils and councillors; sometimes they will respond to topics currently shaping the sector. They are not intended to provide all the answers, but to explore the practical realities of leadership in local government and the choices councillors face as they try to serve their communities well.
Why councillor inductions need to change
All too often councillor inductions after elections seem to be written to suit the council’s senior management team more than the new councillors. I don’t think this happens on purpose. Officers quite reasonably want their new councillors to understand complex services, difficult budgets and strict governance procedures as soon as possible. What they forget is that they have most likely had decades learning how local government works.
New councillors come from all walks of life, and the best representative mix reflects the range of experiences in the communities we serve. They do not yet understand how highways budgets are managed, how housing eligibility criteria work, how school place planning is undertaken or how asset management registers are maintained. And they do not need to know it all in the first two months.
What new councillors do need to understand quickly is their role, their responsibilities and how to find information when they need it. They also need to know how to cope as they deal with emotionally draining casework, time pressures, potential abuse from the public and the inevitable moments when confidence dips. They also need to hear that they can make a difference in the communities they represent and get some help on how to make a plan.
New councillors will all learn at different rates, just like everyone else. Some prefer in-person sessions, others like to read through the details. Some will be able to spend days poring over training modules and briefing papers; others will need to fit learning in between the children’s tea and bath time or at the end of a long day in their day job. Councils need to offer flexibility in both delivery and approach. One size does not fit all — just as it doesn’t when providing CPD for council officers.
Of course some things have to be prioritised. Planning and licensing committee members need to be ready before their first meetings. Councillors need to understand the IT system and casework processes. Cyber security and safeguarding responsibilities do not pause simply because councillors are new.
So, if you are responsible for councillor induction programmes, think carefully about when and how to introduce complex services, difficult budgets and strict governance procedures. Put yourself in the shoes of someone newly elected and still figuring out how local government really works — and why you ever agreed to it! What would you want to understand first?
Further reading
If councillor induction is something you’re currently reviewing, you may also find my Councillor Induction Programme page useful.
Why don't councillors attend training provided?
As I speak to more Democratic Services Managers one question they keep asking is "Why don't councillors actually attend the training sessions we provide?" It's not an easy one to answer.
It could be as simple as the timing not being suitable or whether sessions are in-person or online. But you've probably asked for preferred time and format to maximise attendance, so whilst it can never be 100% perfect for every councillor, it's rarely just that.
I've been thinking back to all the training I have and haven't taken over the years. What's been well attended and what hasn't. I think the simple answer is that councillors don’t always see the relevance of a workshop or course to them and their role.
Let me give you an example: Most councils offer chairing skills training (as do I - quick plug - details here). It's usually well attended by those with chairing responsibilities or vice-chairs, but those not yet chairs often don't come. They don't see the relevance. It needs spelling out that chairing skills aren’t just about formal meetings. They can help with meetings with residents, officers and partners. They can build confidence for future roles. They can offer practical ways to support colleagues who are in the chair.
Then there are those chairs who think they know everything already, so don't come. But if you suggest to them attending can help their colleagues by imparting their knowledge and experience, it appeals to their values. You can suggest that no one knows everything (probably coming from group leaders rather than Democratic Services) and that whilst they are good, we can all improve.
I was thinking about how well-chaired meetings lead to better governance, less chaotic discussions, reduced risk, and ultimately better decision-making for residents, as I completed a survey by Lawyers in Local Government. Councillors need to understand why each training or briefing session is relevant.
To do this takes more time than a simple calendar invite with a few notes attached. It means tailoring messages to different groups, and sometimes following up individually. It still won’t reach every councillor, but if you can clearly set out the benefits, how it connects to their role, and how it supports them in serving their residents, you’ll reach far more than if you don’t.
Sell the sizzle, not the sausage. It turns out that applies just as much in local government as anywhere else.
What happens when the most experienced councillors are gone?
The local elections on 7th May 2026 saw more changes of control and more new councillors than I’ve ever seen before. As the results started coming in during the early hours of Friday morning, it quickly became clear that predictions of major political change were going to be correct.
As a lover of democracy, it was genuinely encouraging to see turnout increasing, with more residents voting in these vital elections than we often see. But higher turnout also often indicates the likelihood of major political change, and with that comes challenges.
New councillors need time to learn the role. Most arrive with little or no experience of local government, how councils operate, or how councillors and officers work together. One of the key ways people learn is by watching experienced councillors, whether through formal mentoring programmes or simply by observing meetings and conversations over time.
But what happens if there are very few experienced councillors left? Or if many of those with experience are now in opposition and understandably focused elsewhere?
Whilst the dust is still settling in councils with No Overall Control, or more accurately No One Party Control, many are likely to end up with new coalitions or minority administrations. Alongside that are the 20+ councils now run by parties that have never previously led those authorities.
In some places, whole swathes of political experience disappeared overnight.
It was hard enough when I returned to lead an administration with a group of 14 returning councillors and 25 new councillors. Many councils are now facing changes on an even bigger scale.
So what can councils and councillors do?
Councils
- As a council that has a new administration, you may need to do far more training and support than originally planned, and some of it may need to be bespoke facilitation rather than standard presentations and briefing packs.
- New administrations will want to make changes quickly. At the same time, some councillors may still be working out the boundaries between member and officer roles. So officer-member relationship training may need to be done sooner than planned.
- Facilitated sessions with both political and officer leadership teams can help build trust, encourage effective challenge, aid mutual understanding and set realistic expectations.
- More mentoring and one-to-one support can help those with further responsibilities quickly become effective in their new roles.
- And don’t forget previous administrations either. Moving from administration to opposition can be difficult too, particularly where councillors have spent years with leadership responsibilities and suddenly find themselves adjusting to very different roles.
Councillors
- Take every opportunity to learn. Not just through your council’s formal induction programme, but from outside your own authority as well.
- The LGA will offer support to new administrations and you should absolutely take it. The LGiU and APSE, if your council is a member, provides useful briefings and examples of how other councils are approaching difficult issues. Attend webinars. Go to training sessions. Speak to councillors from other authorities.
- And don’t dismiss support simply because it comes from outside your political grouping. Good local government training is about helping councillors become more effective in their role and deliver for their communities, regardless of party politics.
None of this is easy. But then very few people join local government because they think it will be easy.
The councils that navigate this period best are unlikely to be the ones pretending everything can carry on as normal. They will be the ones that invest time in learning, relationships and support early on, before misunderstandings and frustrations become much harder to fix.