LGA launches challenge to find next generation of management star
From next month the top rising stars in local government will be battling it out to be crowned champion of the 2012 Local Government Challenge.
The competition, organised by the Local Government Association, is now in its third year. Candidates will be tasked with tough real life challenges set by councils and invited to demonstrate they have the skills, determination and talent to one day become an inspiring chief executive.
The winner will receive a scholarship worth up to £10,000 from the Bruce Lockhart Leadership Programme, set up in memory of the late Lord Bruce-Lockhart, former chairman of the LGA and former leader of Kent County Council.
Sir Merrick Cockell, chairman of the Local Government Association, said: "Never has there been a more important time for innovative and effective people to steer local government through the tough years ahead.
"Councils are trusted and relied upon to help people and make a real difference to everyday lives. As a sector, we need ambitious, forward-thinking go-getters who are brimming with creativity and enthusiasm to build on the good work councils do.
"The Local Government Challenge will not only celebrate the diverse talent in town halls across the country, it will help uncover the hidden potential in our workforce and promote local government as a rewarding career choice."
Candidates will battle it out over five challenges set by councils which reflect some of the major challenges facing local authorities today.
Last year's tasks included a challenge hosted by the Department for Communities and Local Government when challengers were tasked with finding ways to make it easier for residents to get more involved in decisions about their local area. It also saw the first challenge hosted by a fire authority. At Durham and Darlington Fire Authority, contestants were based in two community fire stations and considered how the fire service could use them to access hard-to-reach and vulnerable groups.
Candidates have now been whittled to a shortlist of ten finalists.
The ten finalists who will be battling it out to become 2012 Local Government Challenge champion are:
•Bahar Eser, senior contracts officer, Hertfordshire County Council
•Edward Adams, project officer, Kent County Council
•Hannah Lavender, performance officer, Northampton Borough Council
•Hannah Rees, communications manager, Cornwall Council
•Holly Rae, corporate policy officer, Stockport Council
•Jodie Harris, principal strategy officer, Southwark Council
•Lorna Gibbons, senior economic development officer, Borough of Poole Council
•Miladur Rahman, partnership development officer, Rochdale Borough Council
•Rachael Hawthorne, estate renewal project officer, Northampton Borough Council
•Vikas Bhanot, efficiency officer, London Borough of Croydon Council
Contestants will be observed every step of the way by TV cameras and must present their ideas and proposals to a panel of leading local government figures and partner organisations. Challenges will run between January and May and will be filmed and broadcast on Policy Review TV.
Councils who will be running challenges this year are:
•Birmingham City Council – 26 and 27 January 2012
•Hertfordshire County Council and St Albans City and District Council – 6 and 7 February
•Thurrock Council – 22 March
•South Cambridgeshire District Council – 19 and 20 April
•Kirklees Council – 17 and 18 May
The winner will be announced at the LGA Annual Conference in Birmingham in June 2012.
Last year's winner Paul Knight, formerly a senior policy officer and now the customer and business services manager at South Cambridgeshire District Council, has used the scholarship from last year's competition to fund a placement on the Empowering Leadership Programme at Ashridge Business School.
He said: "Winning the Local Government Challenge has offered more opportunities than I could have ever imagined.
"In the current economic climate, it is a privilege to be able to develop my leadership ability and broaden my local government perspective in such a way. I am also enjoying using the scholarship to support a community information mapping project called the Cambridgeshire Connection, due to be launched in March 2012.
"Personally I have gained a passion for innovation and new technology to help us meet and exceed the demands placed upon us as councils. This passion led to a promotion at South Cambridgeshire District Council, with the new role focusing on the delivery of much more for much less.
"In many ways the Local Government Challenge gave me a voice and my council offered me the opportunity to put it to good use. The support I received from the members and staff at South Cambridgeshire as well as local government colleagues across the country was overwhelming."
