Becoming a Director of Policy in local government is a bold step into strategic leadership. This guide explores the essential skills you’ll need from political acuity to emotional intelligence and outlines what to prioritise in your first 100 days. With insights from senior officers and key statistics on sector challenges, it’s a practical roadmap for turning ambition into impact. Lead with clarity, compassion, and confidence.

In this episode of The Truth About Local Government, Councillor John Merry CBE shares how cities can lead the charge in meeting the UK’s target of 1.5 million new homes. From the transformation of Salford Quays to the role of Key Cities, John emphasises the need for public-private partnerships, planning certainty, and building communities not just homes. “We need to build the infrastructure… not just properties in an empty field.”

In today’s complex and fast-changing local government environment, where councils are expected to do more with less, policy  is not just...