Strong leadership is essential for any successful organisation. A good leader will have a clear vision of where their organisation is going, and how to do it. They make sure that goals and priorities are clear to all, always giving the right support for them to be met.
The Leader of the Year Award, at the 2014 LGiU and CCLA C’llr Achievement Awards, aims to recognise and celebrate outstanding leadership in local government. The deadline for nominations is now 5pm on Friday January 17th.
For councils, good leaders are the figurehead that unites members and the cabinet. They listen to the concerns and opinions of all councillors, set the strategic direction and carry the rest of the team with them.
They also have a vital role as the public face of the council. This requires that they have a strong, positive relationship with their community, making sure that the concerns of the citizens they serve are at the heart of the council’s activity. They must also be prepared to account for the decisions that they make by answering difficult questions when they need to be answered.
The councillor who wins this category will demonstrate:
- outstanding commitment to their role as a councillor and council leader
- clear vision for the council and community that addresses significant concerns of the community
- evidence of successfully leading the council towards achieving the vision
- strong relationships with community groups and council partners
- commitment to accountability and scrutiny
- how they have overcome splits and factions within the group, successfully uniting them to deliver outcomes for the community.
Cllr Catherine West, leader of London Borough of Islington, won the award in 2013 for her leadership setting up the first Fairness Commission. Catherine was commended by judges for showing the rare quality of being both ‘a doer and a thinker’ with ‘a real clarity of purpose’. She also helped Islington to become one of the first accredited Living Wage local authorities in the UK. Read more about Cllr West’s achievements here.
If your council has an exceptional leader, then show your support by nominating them for the award. You can do this online here, or by downloading a simple form here.
