PPMA Annual Seminar 2017 - 21st Century Councillor Update
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The sister research to 21st Century Public Servant focuses on the role of Councillors. We know how important the relation ship between our elected members and our leadership is.
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PPMA Annual Seminar 2017 - 21st Century Councillor Update
- 1. Catherine Mangan, Catherine Needham, Karin Bottom & Steve Parker Illustrations by Laura Brodrick http://21stcenturypublicservant.wordpress.com/
- 2. Birmingham University http://21stcenturypublicservant.wordpress.com/ Illustrations by Laura Brodrick
- 3. Birmingham University http://21stcenturypublicservant.wordpress.com/ Illustrations by Laura Brodrick
- 4. Birmingham University http://21stcenturypublicservant.wordpress.com/ Illustrations by Laura Brodrick
- 5. Birmingham University, http://21stcenturypublicservant.wordpress.com/ Illustrations by Laura Brodrick
- 6. Birmingham University http://21stcenturypublicservant.wordpress.com/ Illustrations by Laura Brodrick
- 7. Birmingham University http://21stcenturypublicservant.wordpress.com/ Illustrations by Laura Brodrick
- 8. Birmingham University http://21stcenturypublicservant.wordpress.com/ Illustrations by Laura Brodrick
- 9. Contextual challenges re-shaping local government Different set of roles for future Councillor-citizen relationships Boundaries between councillors and officers are blurring Boundaries and organisation of public services at local level Councillor profiles Foundational skills (practical, knowledge based) and relational skills (connective, digital, reflective) Birmingham University http://21stcenturypublicservant.w ordpress.com/ Illustrations by Laura Brodrick
- 10. Working with NWE to develop competency framework Engaging democratic service officers Evidence for councillor commission Role of HR......? Birmingham University http://21stcenturypublicservant.w ordpress.com/ Illustrations by Laura Brodrick
- 11. Catherine Needham Health Services Management Centre @DrCNeedham c.needham.1@bham.ac.uk Catherine Mangan Institute of Local Government Studies @mangancatherine c.mangan@bham.ac.uk Illustrations by Laura Brodrick www.thinkbigpicture.co.uk For updates and discussion go to the 21st Century Public Servant blog at http://21stcenturypublicservant.wordpress.com/ and contribute to the debate on Twitter #21Cps, or get in touch with us:
Editor's Notes
- 21c Cllr - on back of 21cps, Liz and colleagues asked what about councillors? As then, offer this to stimulate a conversation, rather than a blueprint or a right answer. We're not the ones with the answers - you are - what we want to do is start a conversation. Methodology - lit review, interviews and focus gps -68 Cllrs and 18 officers across north west - some of them in the room, thank you for your time. sample across gender, parties, length of service etc. Findings – 7 themes.
- 1. What it means to be Cllr is changing in response to context in which operating. Challenges reshaping LG: a) perma austerity - dominant theme shaped all responses b) changing citizen expectations - tech change, end deference c) new technologies - opps for better engagement but how used, personal life impact? d) different scales of working - enthusiasm for devo but complexity e) changing boundaries and org of public services esp around accountability - focus on integration but complex network of providers Challenges these present are explored thru remaining themes
- 2. Cllr roles adapting. Some not new eg advocate but made more important by context. Advocate - for all citizens. More than those that shout loudest - responsive to vulnerable and those who struggle to make voices heard Other roles emerging such as: Steward of place - coherent stewardship working across locality Buffer - mitigating impact of austerity on citizens, esp most vulnerable. Had some debate about this role - More than trad role of protector - developing tailored policies Sense maker - translating shift in role of pS and rel btw institutions and citizen - that councils can no longer do everything for citizens, and rationalising why cuts being made to some services Catalyst - enabling citizens to do things for themselves, enabling new convos, making things happen Entrepreneur - working with citizens and partners to develop new solutions Orchestrator - convening ppl work tog, mediating btw gps, brokering rels
- 3. Cllrs and citizens Passionate about rels - are changing. The buffer role around austerity but enc new types of behaviour. One person spoke of moving from do-good et to cutting services with least hurt. More positive around stopping the smothering of ppl, allowing more independence. Sense some cuts were hidden eg LD whereas bin collections, free parking met with public complaint so felt they needed to explain and justify the hidden cuts to citizens - difficult conversations. Some felt citizens recognised the £ context but others continued to make demands - hanging baskets. Sense making therefore key role. Thinking innovatively and creativity about how services could be retained incl how citizens cd be part of solution. An entrepreneurial problem solving role which recognises and develops skills of citizens. Technology - appreciated the potential in terms of immediacy and access and some using but in the minority. Generational gap here. A nervousness around social media - shifting boundaries of personal/private also how people speak to each other.
- 4. Cllrs and officers - relationship is changing. All spoke about theoretical clear boundary btw roles but in practice becoming more blurred 'muddy and murky'. Roles increasingly overlapping as exec members become more professionalised, members becoming more involved with op issues, number of officers reduces, - impact on 121 rels and also what can expect officers to do - if officers on,y have tuppence how can you work to make sure you get some of that tuppence? officers playing neighbourhood roles as community fixers with potential for duplication. With wider partnership working, cllrs having to work with wider range of officers, police, health, GP practice managers - negotiating new set of rels where they have no org agency.
- 5. Cllrs and place - v clear and strong commitment to place. Stewardship of place as the fundamental point of LG. But as strategic leaders, not deliverers of services. As stewards, struggling to reconcile accountability to citizens for dec making with increased complexity of service delivery structures over which have reduced control eg contractors, academies. Cllrs particularly backbench already playing connector type roles e.g letterbox thefts with Royal Mail. Enthusiasm for devo, though concern at complexity and potential loss of power, leadership, time to make considered decisions and how far politicians other than leaders had been involved.
- 6. Councillor profiles - discussed motivations and career profiles. Range of motivations - more consistent was lack of support around developing political career. Ability to thrive - combo of effective ward member and loyal party member. Career profiles - identified two generations - retired group and working age group. Different skills, different approaches. Hard to combine being Cllr with having a job, incl lack of job security. Also hard to combine with having a family life - demands of a 24/7 job. Diversity - seen as forth bridge issue - requires constant attention and never finished. Strong feeling that commitment to community was more important than actual represented ness in terms of diversity.
- 7. Developing Cllr skills Roles and challenges here require skill set not nec well covered by existing training and devpt opps. Suggest two different sets of skills - firstly foundational skills - practical and knowledge based - specific policy, committee and portfolio roles, new agendas such as CAs. Practical skills include chairing mtg, public speaking, evidence synthesising. However cllrs admitted did not always engage with foundational type skills training. Some didn't want to attend or see value, others only go to group training. Secondly relational skills - three areas - 1 connective skills such as influencing, negotiating, listening, story telling, 2 - digital skills as communication and balancing these with other ways of engaging, 3 - reflective skills - high emotional toll of role that involves a lot of conflict resolution. Many talked about the relentnessness of a role that has no ready made boundaries and the need for resilience - talked about needing the thick skin of a rhino. Although some councils offering mentoring and buddying, did not appear to be support for personal resilience and the emotional aspects of the role. Our sense is that current training and devpt offers focus on knowledge based and practical skills and not enough attention being paid to support that Cllr need to develop connective skills of a 21c Cllr.