Shared chief executives: the lessons

A number of local councils across the country have entered into arrangements to share a single chief executive working across two organisations.

In 2008 Stephen Fletcher, then an IDeA Regional Associate, and independent consultant Gordon Mitchell brought together eight executives in meetings to discuss what they have learned.

The guidance focuses on eight issues that people contemplating this change should consider:

• taking on the shared role
• terms and conditions and contractual issues
• starting as a shared chief executive for real and the work-life balance issues
• moving towards a permanent position
• member involvement
• winning the shared services argument
• service reviews – business improvements
• working in struggling councils.

The guidance includes the views of the following joint chief executives:

• Michael Frater, Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council and Telford & Wrekin Council
• Ian Lowrie, Worthing Borough Council and Adur District Council
• Simon Baker, previously Staffordshire Moorlands District Council and East Staffordshire Borough Council, currently Staffordshire Moorlands District Council and High Peak Borough Council 
• Bill Taylor, West Lancashire District Council and Fylde Borough Council
• David Incoll, West Devon Borough Council and South Hams District Council
• Bob Austin, Cotswold District Council and Tewkesbury  Borough Council
• Peter Simpson, Hambleton Parish Council and Richmondshire District Council
• Stephen Baker, Suffolk Coastal District Council and Waveney District Council.

'Shared Chief Executives: the lessons' (PDF, 20 pages, 624KB)

In October 2009, the IDeA (now Local Government Improvement and Development) published a new report showing how councils had learned from their early experiences and made substantial cost savings.

Read the new report on shared chief executives and joint management