The core chief executive role

The 'core' element of the local government chief executive role involves coordination, management, staffing, advising the council, elections and dealing with emergencies.

The core chief executive role requires acting as lead council adviser, managerial leader and head of paid service.

  • Coordination: design, delivery, coordination and integration of council functions 
  • Management: management arrangements including accountability of functions and staff 
  • Staffing: the numbers, grades, roles, appointment and discipline of staff 
  • Advising the council: ensuring best advice is available to the council at all tiers 
  • Elections: acting independently as electoral risk manager (ERM) and returning officer (RO) for local and national elections ** 
  • Emergencies: preparing and leading response and recovery from civil emergencies 

** In some cases, councils appoint officers other than chief executives to act as returning officer.

The structure of knowledge, experience and judgement across the core chief executive role

 

Acquiring knowledge Gaining experience Sharpening judgement
  • Options for alternative service delivery models 

     
  • Principles of organisational design and management and staffing accountabilities 

     
  • Workforce planning, strategies, and service specific operational workforce plans 

     
  • Lead adviser to the council, coordinating advice from others, including the monitoring officer and the head of scrutiny 

     
  • Civil Contingencies Act (2004) and local authority responsibilities 

     
  • Representation of the People Acts and relevant guidance from the Electoral Commission and from the Department of Levelling up Housing and Communities (DLUHC) 
  • Continually examine alternative service delivery models for infrastructure investment and service delivery

     
  • Discuss with staff at all levels their views on how career development, team working, and management can be improved

     
  • Examine best practice amongst other authorities and sectors on workforce matters, including equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI)

     
  • Attend council meetings and relevant committee meetings

     
  • Attend personalised training in other areas, for example, civic contingencies, elections management, statutory services (for example, safeguarding) 
  • Provide well-grounded and impartial advice to councillors of the advantages and disadvantages of alternative models of service delivery

     
  • Have a confident communication style that motivates staff, fosters team working and improves organisational effectiveness

     
  • Provide impartial and correct interpretation of the constitution’s ‘rules for debate’, and develop fora for deliberative and emergent styles of dialogue

     
  • Learn to lead calmly and with clarity of purpose in novel, highly visible and accountable circumstances 

Highlighted pages

Managerial leadership

The 'managerial leadership' element of the local government chief executive role involves leadership, direction, culture, risk, control and safeguarding, teamwork and collaboration.

Resource management

The 'resource management' element of the local government chief executive role involves budgeting, savings, investment, asset management, financial risk and prudence.