Steve Wilson, Commercial Director, CSG has written for the MJ this week on the importance of staff retention in Local Government.  The recruitment and retention challenges being faced in councils are not just the well-publicised frontline staff roles such as social workers but all the way up to the director and chief executive.  Many of the reasons people are leaving are also shared across these roles; particularly to avoid personal burnout in a sector that has been so heavily relied on first during the pandemic and now in the cost of living crisis.  The comments from our recent Chief Executive roundtable included that many staff are weary.  Whilst the public clapped for the NHS much of the extra work delivered by local authorities during Covid went largely unrecognised. The word unprecedented has often been overused in recent times but there has been a near-perfect storm facing Local Government staffing levels in recent years.

But this is a sector known for its resilience and it is creatively addressing many of these complex problems with a recognition that greater collaboration as a sector can bring councils more opportunities.  To support this collaborative approach CSG has just launched for the second year its Local Government Executive Leadership programme at the recent PPMA conference in Birmingham.  Built on the research of APSE and Professor Steven Griggs, Staffordshire University, this programme focuses on the new skills that directors and chief executives will need to be able to address these and the other challenges facing local government.  It is also an ideal opportunity for senior managers and directors from different councils across the country to network, share experiences and ideas as well as receive coaching to help address current issues they are facing.  CSG, as part of its commitment to supporting local government, is proud to sponsor the programme to share the attendance costs recognising the ongoing financial pressures in the sector.

Read the MJ article on page 20 HERE > The MJ (pagesuite-professional.co.uk)