Reflections on managing LGR from Dorset County Council

An interview with Mike Harries, former Chief Executive, Dorset County Council

Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) is one of the most complex and demanding changes a council can undertake. We spoke to Mike Harries, former Chief Executive of Dorset County Council, to reflect on the lessons learned from Dorset’s experience and what this means for councils preparing for change today.

Looking back, what stands out about the Dorset experience?

When Dorset went through reorganisation in 2019, it was a very different landscape. There was far less national support and guidance than there is now.

But one thing is still absolutely true: this is not just about project management or action plans. Those things matter, but the real opportunity comes from your people. If you don’t get the people side right, everything else is a struggle.

Most councils already do a lot of good things in all the services they provide and the ways they support their communities. Reorganisation isn’t about fixing something that’s broken. It’s about building something better, together. That means being honest about the facts and making sure everyone understands them and is engaged in creating the future.

How important are partnerships and culture in making LGR successful?

They’re critical. You can’t just focus on getting to day one. You need to put real effort into maintaining and building partnerships whilst also creating the right culture to be future focused.

One of the biggest lessons for me was how much I learned from district councils. My background was in county councils, and I hadn’t fully appreciated the different perspectives and strengths they could bring.  The same applies to public sector partners, share your aspirations and concerns with them – they will provide insights you might miss.

That’s why it’s important to design working groups that reflect all the different councils and how they understand and deliver services. You need that shared ownership and learning. It will pay dividends later as you mobilise the new council.

There’s often a lot of focus on “safe and legal” for day one. Is that enough?

It’s necessary, but it’s not enough.

Too often, councils focus only on getting to day one in a “safe and legal” position. But you should be thinking about day two and beyond from the start, even if the transformation activity itself has to wait.

This is a rare opportunity to shape what kind of organisation you want to be in the future. If you don’t take that opportunity, you’re missing the point.  LGR should not simply be about re-packaging the same product, it should be about being better organised to support our communities to thrive.

How can councils help staff to transition positively into a new organisation?

Try to end things well. Getting the ending right makes a huge difference to how colleagues will approach the new council. 

There is an element of grieving that will need time and space, before moving on positively.  It is important to give colleagues the chance to reflect and be proud of their council’s history and take that energy with them into the new council. 

At a programme level, delivering fully on all targets in the last year, also provides a positive handover.

What role does leadership and knowledge-sharing play?

Leadership is essential, but so is using the knowledge you already have.

Your heads of service and third-tier managers are incredibly capable. They hold a huge amount of insight about what works and what doesn’t, but often the way changes are managed means that knowledge isn’t shared.

Creating a culture where people share what they know is vital. You need to ask: what do we know that no one is talking about? That’s where the real learning sits.

How should councils approach resourcing such a major programme?

You must resource it properly.

There’s often a tendency to bring in consultants and interims to run the programme. They have a role, but they should be supporting your people, not replacing them.

Your own staff understand your organisation, your culture, and your systems. They should lead the programme, with external support filling the gaps and backfilling where needed.

And importantly, this is not the time to strip out capacity from corporate services as part of cost saving for LGR. Functions like HR, Change and Organisational Development are critical during this process and through the early years.

What are the biggest risks during transition?

One of the biggest challenges is pace. Everything happens very quickly, and there’s huge pressure on staff who are trying to deliver The LGR transformation programme while keeping services running.

Maintaining resilience is critical. You need a clear workforce plan, strong recruitment and retention approaches, and a good understanding of who you need to keep and when you may be able to release them.  Some strategically phased exits 3 months after vesting day will be more helpful than large numbers leaving on the same day.

There’s also a real risk of losing key staff to the new organisation before you’re ready. That’s especially true for specialist and statutory roles, so you need contingencies in place.

What about systems and operational readiness?

Technology and systems often get underestimated.

You need to make sure critical services – like social care – can function from day one. There are established mechanisms to manage changes in social workers, but the volume is likely to be greater, especially where multiple disaggregation across several new councils is required. That means investing time and resource into getting processes and systems ready and ensuring professionals can access the information they need before and after day one.

More broadly, anything you can complete before vesting day should be completed or at least have a clear plan to take you forward. The legacy your council leaves by being well prepared is important. 

What advice would you give councils starting this journey now?

Be realistic about the scale and duration. These programmes always take longer than expected, especially when it comes to embedding change.

Don’t look for lots of quick efficiency wins, they’re rare. Instead, focus on building on the strengths across your councils to better support communities.

Most importantly, remember this: LGR is a people programme. If you invest in your people, support them properly, and bring them together around a shared vision, you give yourself the best possible chance of success.

Key takeaway

Successful reorganisation isn’t just about structures and systems; it’s about leadership, culture, and making the most of the people you already have.

Remind yourself frequently that LGR is all about people: you, your colleagues, members, and residents. It is easy to get absorbed by the details of workstreams, project plans, and deliverables.  However, the biggest driver of success will be the culture and behaviour of the people who make it happen for the benefit of our communities.