The push towards greater self-service, flexible working and multi-agency teams will be key priorities for local government over the next ten years, according to new research.
The changing landscape for local government report, published by Civica, shows 43% of council leaders and chief executives believe making it easier and encouraging residents to self-serve will be a key priority by 2025.
In addition, just under half (48%) of those surveyed said there would be a revised shift towards streamlined and agile teams, and two-fifths (40%) said strategic partnerships would be in place to deliver personalised services.
To support the move towards even leaner structures, the report argues that future council leaders will require new sets of skills.
Among the top attributes thought necessary were strong project management (46%), the ability to become hybrid managers in cross-functional teams (38%), the ability to plan strategically (35%) and digital communications skills (35%).
Respondents blamed restrictive culture (36%), inadequate succession planning (29%) and technology limitations (25%) for obstructing current attempts to transform local public services.
Chair at SOLACE in business Kim Ryley, said actions taken by local government over the next two to three years would impact their success by and beyond 2025, and warned the results showed many authorities were still prey to short-term thinking and lacked the strategy and funs to significantly transform services.
‘We need to make the space, time and resources to innovate and test the “new” model of the future,’ said Mr Ryley, who was formerly chief executive for Cheshire East and Shropshire CC.
Paul Bradbury, group business development director, Civica said: ‘It may be challenging, but this journey poses an exciting opportunity to radically re-think the way organisations operate for the benefit of the local communities. Doing nothing is not an option.’
