BLOG: Staff hold the key to the future of Liverpool City Council

Deputy Mayor, Cllr Frazer Lake, writes for Liverpool Express about the pivotal role of the Council’s staff in its future...

Since I was elected to Liverpool City Council in May 2019, it’s fair to say it has been a tumultuous time for the organisation and our staff.

As well as dealing with the impact of the pandemic, we’ve also been dealing with some well publicised historic problems around our practices, processes and culture.

To make our Council one which everyone in the city can be proud of, we’re working on a significant transformation programme which is all about how we’re striving to enact long-term change for the way we deliver services for our residents.

We’re taking this incredibly seriously. The appointment of our permanent Chief Executive and our drive to recruit a range of new directors key to overseeing and embedding this change process.

But for me, the most important asset we have in order to make the change that we all want to see is what we see every day already: the passion, drive and resilience of our staff.

When I became a Councillor and a Cabinet Member, I made a commitment to talk to as many staff as possible. I have always had an open-door approach to hearing people’s experiences and doing whatever I can to help them do their jobs better.

Visiting – and listening – to our teams in libraries, family centres and other locations across the city, I’ve learned the most about the people who drive our organisation, and who work tirelessly to make a difference to people’s lives.

Everyone who works here is passionate. They give their all for our city. What I’ve found is that all anyone wants is a platform to do their jobs to the best of their ability. I understand that staff want to be heard, as well as listened to. They want to be trusted, empowered, and work well with elected members.

My aim is to help bring about an organisational culture change that respects everyone and values their experiences and input. I believe that when you have such a culture, it breeds togetherness and teamwork. And when you have that, you put yourselves in a position to achieve your goals, however ambitious.

Staff engagement and involvement is fundamental to all of our many transformation workstreams. It’s by giving staff the opportunity to shape the future of their services that they know so well, that we’ll create the resident experience that our city deserves.

I want our organisational culture to match our ambition to be a leading local authority. By involving our team in this process, I believe we can make that happen together.

Cllr Frazer Lake – Deputy Mayor