Program participants completed an intensive week of study and deliberation at the Australia and New Zealand School of Government’s (ANZSOG) new research and teaching facility within the ANU.

The ELGLP provides local government leaders with a dynamic national forum for building networks and a shared commitment to delivering world-class local governance. The program also enables extended access to noted local and international expertise to address critical local issues identified by participants.

Some of the presenters were Professor Gerry Stoker, senior advisor to the Blair government on local government reform in the UK, Jude Munro, former CEO from Brisbane City Council, Glenys Beauchamp (Secretary, Department of Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government, among others.

At the concluding dinner, ACELG Chairperson Margaret Reynolds and Peter Allen, Deputy Dean of ANZSOG presented certificates to graduates and spoke of the rising interest from local government in such a program.

“The number of councils supporting staff and elected officials to attend this year is immensely encouraging,” said Margaret Reynolds. “This demonstrates that local government at a national level recognises the importance of its leaders having access to the very best thinking to enhance their communities and organisation.”

Peter Allen reiterated that local government can be an engine room of economic growth and public value creation, and that the ELGLP provides leaders with a dynamic forum for building networks and a shared commitment to delivering world class local governance.

Deputy Dean of ANZSOG, Peter Allen at the graduation dinner.

ACELG and ANZSOG congratulate participants for completing the program and thank a number of governments that funded scholarships for some to attend.

Graduates are now part of the ANZSOG Alumni program that will further the goals of the program by exploring and promoting local government excellence within their region and networks.

The next ELGLP is scheduled for 2014. For more information please contact: Rosie Colosimo, ANZSOG ELGLP Participant Coordinator [email protected] | +61 3 8344 1909

Photos from the 2013 program can also be viewed here.

More information about the 2013 Program

This year’s program was themed Leading the Local State and challenged local government leaders to set the agenda for local government reform in the 21st century.

Program convenor Professor Mark Evans said: “The emphasis of this program was on enhancing capability in terms of strategic leadership, collaborative governance with other governments, citizens and stakeholders, and innovative service delivery.

“Participants brought along local issues to discuss with and for advice from the best international and national advice available”. 

In this way, the ELGLP provides local communities - through the local government leaders attending - the opportunity to solve some of their most difficult problems with the support of the leading international and national experts in the field.

This year’s program was designed to help participants with a range of challenges facing contemporary local government:

• understand international and national policy contexts and build strong working relationships with other governments, citizens and stakeholders
• create and deliver services with genuine public value
• develop a strong CEO-Mayor relationship
• lead and manage ongoing change processes through social ‘adaptive’ leadership, and,
• build a problem-solving culture at the local scale.

 

Presenters

The 2013 ELGLP presenter team included senior practitioners with in-depth experience at the sharp-end of commonwealth-state-local relations such as Glenys Beauchamp (Secretary, Department of Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government) and award winning local government CEOs (such as Jude Munro, former CEO from Brisbane City Council) and Mayors (such as Stephen Yarwood, Adelaide). Academic expertise included Professor Mark Evans (ANZSOG), Professor Gerry Stoker, senior advisor to the Blair government on local government reform in the UK, former Director of ACELG Professor Graham Sansom (UTS) and Professor John Martin (La Trobe). Peter Thompson from the ABC tackled issues of crisis and media management and Paul Porteous (Kennedy School at Harvard) considered problems in community leadership.

Learning outcomes 2013

This year’s ELGLP provided ten outcomes for participants.

1. Understand and manage your environment – participants were exposed to an enhanced understanding of the political, policy, demographic, social and environmental context facing local government and were advised how to work within that context to achieve desirable outcomes.

2. Sharpen problem solving skills – participants gained access to frameworks, skills and knowledge specifically designed to help solve complex local problems faced every day, and to help reduce the need for costly consultancy services.

3. Understand how other governments work – a greater understanding of the dynamic between national, state and local governments was gained, and how to create more equal and effective relationships.

4. Establish broad networks with valued peers – participants developed networks of peers and will be part of an alumni community across Australia, New Zealand, and internationally.

5. Participate in building the sector’s credibility – participants were part of a unique program bringing together elected and appointed leaders to strengthen the vision, standing and credibility of the local government sector as a whole.

6. Contribute to addressing contemporary and emerging local government issues – participants gained critical insights into current and emerging issues such as climate change, new technologies for community engagement, the future of cities, succession and workforce planning, and promoting community resilience.

7. Exchange ideas with world leading experts – participants were exposed to the best of international and national academic and practitioner thinking and to innovations across the range of local government responsibilities which can be translated directly into improved local practice and communication.

8. Gain from ANZSOG’s existing prestige – participants were part of a world-class program that is significantly enhancing the career prospects of Australian and New Zealand officials and is helping attract and retain the best and brightest.

9. Build on personal qualities – participants gained new insights into their capabilities as leaders and to new skills in managing, empowering and collaborating with others inside and outside their organisation.

10. Be inspired and re-energised – another aim was that participants were inspired and re-invigorated from learning from key thought leaders from theory and practice.