How can they justify this

[Big Dave]

Surely the elected members are the ones who provide local knowledge; officers require professional knowledge, expertise and experience to carry out their political masters' desires.

[therealjr]

To a degree yes but they also carry the professional local knowledge of why a certain planning application will fail, where a particular land drain goes and why etc etc

[Slacker]

That's not really detail that 2nd tier of management structure should be involved in, their role is more involved with inter department co-ordination and leadership

[therealjr]

But when they've come up through the ranks as two of them have they carry that knowledge to guide colleagues. As for inter departmental cooperation unless things have changed massively there is none. Classic case. Engineers department are in contact with private company over the provision of bus shelters that would be free to the borough due to advertising. Knowing that bright illuminated shelters are an emotive subject they involved the planning department getting their agreement on size, brightness locations etc. Company agrees to all the restrictions. 10 shiny new bus shelters for the borough at no cost. Yippee.  Planning permission was submitted. And the planners turned it down saying the shelters were too big and too bright!!!!!

[Big Dave]

That seems more like the planners not talking to the planners!

I agree with Slacker; directors in a local authority, like those in the private sector, should be dealing with strategic and budgetary matters rather than the day to day operational aspects of their various service areas.

[Slacker]

Unlikely that managers can do all aspects of the job under them.

I've been in charge of operational gangs but it doesn't mean I can lay a row of kerbs

[therealjr]

Slacker I have two words for you: Graham Hodgson!!!

[Slacker]

Admin managers probably do have knowledge of procedures under them, managers of a wide range of technical functions are unlikely to

[therealjr]

To be honest I'd say the opposite is true. Far too often in local government good engineers, planners Eho's etc get promoted to such a point where they spend all their time being 'managers' and little on their technical area. Problem is most of them are poor managers!!

[Slacker]

Surely that backs up the argument to set on people with leadership ability rather than specialists?