Reclaiming Pride: The Human Heart of Local Government

Local government is not just a tier of administration - it is the living, breathing interface between democracy and daily life. It is where policy meets pavement, where vision becomes visible, and where the values of a community are translated into action. From the decisions made in council chambers to the quiet dedication of officers in back offices, local government shapes the rhythm and reality of our neighbourhoods. As Sir Michael Lyons once said,

“Local government is the part of the public sector closest to the people. It is where the rubber hits the road.” 

Yet, despite its profound and personal impact, the narrative surrounding local government work is often muted, transactional, and underappreciated. The language of pride, purpose, and public service has been replaced by spreadsheets, KPIs, and budget lines.

It’s time to change that. It’s time to reframe the story. We must instil a renewed sense of pride in the work of local government - not merely as a recruitment tool, but as a foundational pillar of retention, organisational culture, and civic leadership. Pride is not a soft sentiment; it is a strategic asset.

The Quiet Power of Local Government

Local government officers and elected members are custodians of public trust. They manage housing, education, planning, social care, waste, transport, libraries, leisure centres, and countless other services that underpin the quality of life in every community. Their work is often invisible until something goes wrong - a bin missed, a pothole unfilled, a planning application delayed. But behind these services are people who care deeply, who serve quietly, and who carry the weight of their communities on their shoulders.

As Baroness Tessa Jowell once said,

“The people who work in local government are the unsung heroes of public life.” 

These are individuals who stay late to resolve a safeguarding issue, who walk the streets to understand anti-social behaviour, who mediate between neighbours, and who design inclusive public spaces. Their work is not glamorous, but it is profoundly meaningful.

This human connection - the emotional investment in place and people - is the golden thread that runs through local government. It is what motivates officers to go the extra mile, what drives councillors to knock on doors in the rain, and what sustains teams through austerity, restructures, and political turbulence. Yet, too often, this connection is overlooked in favour of metrics, targets, and transactional language. We must remember that behind every policy is a person. Behind every service is a story. And behind every council decision is a community waiting to be heard.

Why Pride Matters

Pride is not a luxury. It is a necessity. When people feel proud of their work, they are more engaged, more resilient, and more likely to stay. Pride fosters ownership, creativity, and collaboration. It turns jobs into vocations and organisations into communities. It is the difference between compliance and commitment. In local government, pride is particularly potent because the work is so personal. Officers live in the areas they serve. Councillors represent their neighbours. The boundaries between professional and personal are porous - and that’s a strength, not a weakness. It means decisions are made with empathy, with insight, and with a deep understanding of local context. As the late Jo Cox MP so powerfully reminded us,

“We are far more united and have far more in common than that which divides us.”

That spirit - of unity, of shared purpose, of civic pride - must be embedded into the very fabric of how we recruit, retain, and recognise our people. Pride must be nurtured. It cannot be assumed. It must be cultivated through storytelling, celebration, and connection. It must be protected from cynicism, burnout, and bureaucracy. And it must be championed - not just by HR departments, but by chief executives, councillors, and community leaders alike.

Recruitment: Selling the Story, Not Just the Role

Too many local government job adverts read like procurement documents. They list responsibilities, qualifications, and pay grades, but they rarely tell a story. They rarely speak to the emotional and civic value of the work. They fail to answer the most important question a candidate might ask: “Why does this matter?”

Imagine a recruitment campaign that begins with a simple, powerful question: “Do you want to make a difference where it matters most?” Imagine job descriptions that highlight the human impact of the role - the families rehoused, the parks revitalised, the lives changed. Imagine onboarding processes that celebrate local history, community identity, and the council’s role in shaping both. As Simon Sinek famously said,

“People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it.” 

Recruitment should be an invitation to join a movement, not just a workforce. It should speak to purpose, pride, and belonging. It should connect the dots between personal values and public service. We must move beyond transactional hiring and embrace transformational storytelling. We must recruit not just for skills, but for spirit. And we must ensure that every new starter feels not just employed, but empowered.

Retention: Culture, Connection, and Celebration

Retention in local government is not simply a matter of pay scales and promotion pathways. It is fundamentally about culture - the invisible architecture of belonging, purpose, and pride. It is about whether people feel seen, valued, and connected to something greater than themselves.

It is about whether they can say, with conviction and dignity, “I work in local government,” and feel proud of that declaration.

As organisational psychologist Adam Grant puts it, “The most meaningful way to succeed is to help others succeed.” That ethos is embedded in the DNA of local government. But to retain talent, we must ensure that this meaning is not lost in the noise of bureaucracy or the fatigue of austerity.

To build a culture of pride and connection, we must:

• Celebrate Success - Big and Small

Success in local government is not always headline-grabbing. It is often quiet, incremental, and deeply personal. A social worker who finds a safe home for a vulnerable child. A planning officer who helps a local business expand and create jobs. A councillor who resolves a long-standing community dispute with empathy and persistence. These stories are the lifeblood of local government. They must be shared, applauded, and embedded into organisational memory. Recognition should be woven into the everyday - through newsletters, team briefings, awards, and storytelling platforms. As Brené Brown reminds us,

“What we don’t celebrate, we risk losing.”

• Invest in Leadership - Emotional and Civic

Leadership in local government is not just about managing budgets or delivering services. It is about modelling pride, speaking with purpose, and creating spaces where people feel safe to care. Leaders must be equipped not only with strategic acumen but with emotional intelligence, civic literacy, and the ability to inspire. Leadership development should include modules on storytelling, community engagement, and values-based decision-making. It should prepare leaders to navigate complexity with compassion and to lead with both head and heart.

• Create Community - Beyond Departments

Councils are not just employers; they are ecosystems. They are places where planners, carers, engineers, and communicators coexist - each contributing to a shared mission. Cross-departmental collaboration, staff networks, and community engagement initiatives can help build a sense of mutual respect and collective pride. We must foster environments where people feel part of something - not just a team, but a movement. As one officer recently shared in a leadership workshop, “I don’t just work for the council. I work for my community.” That sentiment must be nurtured.

• Recognise the Emotional Labour - and Support It

Local government work is emotionally demanding. Officers deal with trauma, conflict, and complexity. Councillors face public scrutiny, political pressure, and the weight of expectation. This emotional labour must be acknowledged, supported, and respected.

Support structures - such as reflective supervision, peer networks, mental health resources, and wellbeing programmes - are not optional. They are essential. As the Local Government Association has noted, “Wellbeing is not a fringe issue. It is central to performance, retention, and resilience.”

Elected Members: Champions of Civic Pride

Councillors are the democratic face of local government. They are elected to represent, advocate, and lead. But they are also volunteers - often juggling council duties with full-time jobs, family responsibilities, and community commitments. Their contribution is immense, and it must be recognised not just administratively, but emotionally and symbolically. Councillors should be celebrated not only for their political achievements, but for their civic leadership. They are the storytellers of place, the connectors of people, and the guardians of local democracy. Their role is not transactional; it is transformational.

Training and development for councillors should go beyond governance and policy. It should include:

• Storytelling and narrative building - to help councillors articulate the value of local government.

• Community engagement and listening skills - to deepen trust and connection.

• Emotional resilience and wellbeing - to support them through the pressures of public life.

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The relationship between councillors and officers must be a partnership - built on mutual respect, open communication, and a shared sense of pride. As one chief executive recently said,

“When councillors and officers work together with trust and purpose, the whole organisation lifts.”

A Call to Action

If we are serious about attracting and retaining the best talent in local government, we must do more than offer competitive salaries and flexible working arrangements. We must offer meaning. We must offer pride.

This is not about spin. It is about truth. The truth is that local government work is noble, vital, and deeply human. It is the work of care, connection, and community. It deserves to be celebrated. It deserves to be protected. And it deserves to be at the heart of our recruitment, retention, and leadership strategies.

So let us:

• Tell the stories - of impact, of service, of transformation.

• Celebrate the people - officers and councillors alike.

• Build cultures of pride - where every role is valued, and every contribution matters.

Let us remind ourselves, and our communities, that local government is not just where democracy lives - it is where hope begins, where change is made, and where pride is possible.