First Among Equals: Diversity in local government leadership and public appointments
Publication Date: April 1st, 2009
ISBN: 978 1 903 447 78 9
Authored by: Anna Turley
Hardcopy Price: £15 / PDF Price: £12

First Among Equals: Diversity in local government leadership and public appointmentsPublic Service organisations should not use the economic downturn as a reason to reduce their commitment to equality of opportunity according to a new report published today.

The New Local Government Network is calling on organisations to recognise equalities policy as a strategic necessity to developing high-quality public service delivery, particularly in leadership roles.

The report recommends that local authorities and other public sector organisations use their capacity as the heart of their community to promote good practice and reach out to under-represented groups.

It suggests that local authorities should draw on their extensive local partnerships with businesses, universities and FE colleges, community groups and the voluntary sector to attract a more diverse work-force through secondments, work-experience and job-shadowing and using the forthcoming creation of a National Apprenticeships Service as an opportunity to target under-represented groups.

The report is based on in-depth interviews with almost a hundred chief executives, council leaders, senior officers, recruitment consultants, politicians and NDPB Board members and is published in advance of the Government’s Equalities Bill, which is expected to be published this month.

The report also argues that central Government has a key role in developing equalities policies within the public sector and suggests that departments only commission recruitment consultants who can demonstrate that they take a proactive approach to the promotion of vacancies across the widest range of the population, particularly to under-represented groups, and that they have a track record of delivery on this agenda.

Where public appointments have an important regional impact, such as for Regional Development Agencies, the report recommends that the selection process should be gradually delegated from central government and localised, as the national influence of existing civil service procedures have not ensured representative appointments.

Author of the report, Anna Turley argues:

“The public sector must harness the potential of all our society, through its workforce, its political representation, and its public appointments, if it is to create the kind of leadership our society demands.”

“In the current economic climate it is more important than ever that we enable everyone to fulfil their potential; that within local government and government agencies we create a culture of ambition, aspiration and equality of opportunity; that we value rather than hide from constructive challenge, transparency and learning opportunities.”

“Having a diverse workforce is key to ensuring this kind of leadership. Yet local government and regional public leadership are still far from being representative of the communities they serve, or from harnessing the best of the talent available.”


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Subject Index: Publications, Citizenship and democracy, Local Leadership.