Now is not the time to downgrade council chiefs

摘要

Being a council chief executive has always been a bit of a thankless task -but now, more than ever before, the demands are getting higher, the rewards are getting fewer and, one way or another, the chances of falling foul of the politics are greater than ever. For the average chief executive, the list of priorities is now so long it is making a mockery of the notion of prioritisation. From public health emergencies to economic crises, the first spike of COVID-19 may be over but the fallout continues to grow. Protecting health, local businesses and local people is top of the list. Housing and homelessness, planning, transport and climate change. Finance, transformation, workforce and wellbeing. Adult social care, children's services and finance. Reorganisation and devolution. The list goes on, stretching daily.