New Unitary / Combined Authority Leader
A new approach to developing leaders to accelerate reorganisation and devolution in local government
Local government reorganisation and the establishment of Strategic Authorities offer a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reimagine how places are led and how services are delivered. Yet, they also carry significant risks – particularly for district and borough councils whose strengths, capabilities and people can be lost or destabilised as transitions unfold. Previous approaches to reorganisation and mayoral strategic authority development have often taken longer than planned, delivered fewer benefits than expected, and created organisational cultures that begin in difficulty rather than confidence.
We’ve developed a new approach which is designed to address these challenges head on. Drawing on insights from both public service reform and the private sector’s evolution in mergers and acquisitions, the approach helps councils shift from a slow, sequential process to a more parallel, agile and collaborative one. It can be run across a coalition of councils, enabling places to begin preparing earlier, to work together before decisions are made, and to realise benefits more quickly once new structures are established. Crucially, it allows those involved to be part of shaping the future much earlier, increasing staff retention and reducing the ‘winners and losers’ dynamics that so often feature in change of this nature.
Our focus is on preserving and mobilising the hard and soft assets of all merging organisations – their capabilities, relationships, data, knowledge and talent – and using them in service of the future unitary or strategic authority. We work with you to surface the challenges, build leadership capability at every level, and support the creation of projects that make tangible progress while shaping the culture and identity of the new organisation.
Our Approach
Our model supports a coalition of councils to work together in advance of, and through, the reorganisation process. It is decision-agnostic, focused on the shared challenges and opportunities that will shape the future unitary or strategic authority.
We help partners:
• Agree areas of common purpose, grounded in place-based need
• Identify the capabilities required for the future organisation
• Capture and value the assets held across all merging organisations
• Build shared evidence and insight
• Develop leaders with the knowledge, confidence and relationships needed to guide the new structures
• Create and deliver projects and experiments that test solutions and build momentum
• Maintain focus on place, communities and long-term outcomes
Alongside this, a compatible integration management function (commissioned separately) helps gather curated, common-purpose data to strengthen decision-making.
The Leadership Journey
The programme of work includes an applied leadership development offer that runs in parallel with project delivery, supported by leadership summits, learning sets and individual coaching.
Phase 1 – Scope
Understanding the challenges, identifying future capabilities, and defining what can be done before vesting or mayoral election.
Phase 2 – Develop
Building leadership identity, awareness and skill; introducing key competencies for leading in a new unitary or strategic authority environment.
Phase 3 – Lead
Profiling leadership strengths, deepening specialist expertise, and bringing leaders together through summits and joint inquiry.
Phase 4 – Deliver
Supporting experimentation, iteration, feedback and measurable outcomes.
We use tools such as the Game Changer Index® to help leaders understand how they can contribute most effectively, individually and collectively, during complex transition.
If you would like more information about developing future-ready leadership for LGR and devolution, please get in touch.