What will 2013 bring for public leaders?  Leadership is key in dealing with a crisis and public leaders face several major issues.  Join the debate and help us to consider these challenges as we enter 2013

Is the government’s programme for Localism too elastic? During a week in which we have seen a record low turn out for the election of the new Police and Crime Commissioners (described by the Electoral Commission as a ‘comedy of errors) with the new elected representatives holding a mandate of just between ten and twenty per cent (Telegraph, November 16th […]

A quick scan of the news stories on the publicservice.co.uk website today makes quite stark reading.  First, one Chief Constable is sacked following an IPCC investigation which has upheld the allegation that the chief lied to the inquiry and bullied staff; second, another Chief Constable is to retire allegedly against a background of the latest damning Hillsborough report; the Met’s acting […]

How often have we said; “If Only?” I had occasion today to read a copy of the Times that I had saved from 27th August 2005, exactly seven years ago.  The headlines say it all.  It brings to mind the importance of public leaders understanding risk and uncertainty.  Could this have been avoided?  As we look back in 2012 and […]

At 8.40 this morning I was invited to take part in a live radio debate on BBC Radio Northampton alongside Mr Michael Ellis, Conservative MP for Northampton North and a member of the Home Affairs Select Committee.  This followed an earlier broadcast in which a potential Independent candidate for the post of Police and Crime Commissioner in Northamptonshire stated that […]

The biggest change to police governance since the formation of the modern British police service is about to go ahead almost unnoticed by the vast majority of the British public and yet this could strike at the very heart of police independence. A Newsnight report on the BBC on 19th July 2012 underpinned many of my reasons for deciding not […]

Well done to Simon Weston for sticking to his principles of altruism and standing down as an independent candidate for Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC).  Caught like a rabbit in the headlights between the powerful political party machinery on both his left and his right at a recent gathering of nominated candidates in London, the small group of independents appeared […]

  New Public Leadership   The role of a leader is to ask the intelligent question and then allow others to come up with solutions.  It is about developing a collective vision based on shared values and joint activity.  This is particularly important  for public leaders.  The aim of this blog is to encourage a debate about the key challenges […]