Developing Strategic Authorities*

This programme is designed to support those shaping the future of devolution—offering space, insight and support to grow the capacity and confidence of Strategic Authorities as they evolve.

Strategic Authorities are at the heart of the government’s devolution plans—front and centre when it comes to the growth mission, future public policy, best use of public funding and the transformation of public services. They are where councils unite to reimagine the future of the places they serve and commit to the value-added of regional-level strategic investment and outcomes. Yet, there is no blueprint for what they should look like, how they should operate, or how we measure their effectiveness.

As some Strategic Authorities develop and mature, and others begin their journey in conjunction with significant local government reorganisation, now is the critical moment for leaders to come together to prepare for and shape the institution and partnership they need for the long term benefit of communities, businesses and UK PLC. There is a need to learn from one another, to develop leadership capability, and to surface and share what best—and next—practice could look like.

The Leadership Centre, with its deep roots in the Total Place movement and its long history of developing system leaders through programmes such as Future Vision, is now launching ‘Developing Strategic Authorities’. This offer brings together leaders who are experienced in a range of Strategic Authority environments to work alongside you and support the development of the leadership and ambition that are required for short, medium and long-term success. Grounded in the Centre’s expertise in and commitment to discovering and sharing game-changing practice, we will work with you to develop approaches that will strengthen the capacity and capability of these vital institutions.

As a not-for-profit organisation operating within the local government family for the last 21 years, our purpose is to support those leading change to do so successfully, enabling Strategic Authorities to become world-class organisations that deliver real and lasting impact for their communities and the country.

*Strategic Authority is the term to be used in the English Devolution Bill and supercedes the term Combined Authority. The term Established Strategic Authority is also to be introduced and will refer to those Strategic Authorities that have met the criteria to receive and administer a Settlement. For the purpose of this document, the term Strategic Authority is intended as a catch-all for all putative, new and existing Combined Authorities, including Combined County Authorities and those already in receipt of or identified for the Settlement.

Focus and Structure

This programme takes an active learning approach, grounded in real work and live challenges within your Strategic Authority. Rather than using diagnostics as static assessments, we work alongside you and your teams to support delivery while learning from the process itself. This ensures value is added throughout—from the very start—by surfacing insight, shaping practice, and supporting progress.

The work includes:

• Joining your work and using live missions to explore and develop leadership practice

• Enquiry into four key areas: your people, your place, your relationships, and your organisation

• Developing a clear picture of your system and the leadership competencies needed within it

• Co-designing a modular programme tailored to your Strategic Authority, informed by our analysis and the realities of your place

• Exploring adaptive leadership and system leadership in complex, multi-agency environments

• Mapping and analysing relationships and power dynamics—both formal and informal

• Strengthening stakeholder engagement and reframing perspectives to shift what happens on the ground

• Working with public narrative to build common cause and drive change

• Exploring individual leadership styles and team dynamics to support organisational maturity

• Supporting participants to develop and deliver improvement projects linked to devolution outcomes

• Building reflective practice into every stage, so participants notice how they are thinking and behaving differently, and use that insight to shape further action

The Leadership Centre’s role is to support you in building the leadership capability required to develop, secure and deliver devolution deals—and to grow Strategic Authorities into mature, high-performing organisations that deliver for their communities.

Benefits

As part of this programme, you’ll work alongside a team of experts who have worked within Strategic Authorities at different stages of development. They bring hard-won insight from experience on the ground—helping you short-cut common challenges, avoid familiar pitfalls, and focus your energy where it will make the biggest difference. Together, you’ll build the confidence and clarity needed to navigate this evolving landscape, leading to significant benefits including:

• Developing clarity around roles, responsibilities, and the unique nature of Strategic Authorities

• Building the capability to lead effectively within complex, system-wide environments

• Identifying strategic focus areas and understanding the networks that matter

• Strengthening relationships and engagement with partner agencies and understanding what binds together the key players

• Equipping staff with the skills and confidence to operate in a proactive and productive way in a Strategic Authority context

• Supporting staff in navigating organisational change and maintaining a sense of agency

• Learning from peers across other Strategic Authorities through shared feedback and collaboration

• Accessing a virtual learning environment to support continuous development

• Delivering visible progress and an enhanced ability to achieve your core tasks more effectively