Building teams for a devolved future: advice for council leaders

The ongoing shift towards devolved powers presents both opportunities and challenges for local authorities. With greater autonomy comes the responsibility to deliver more effectively for communities, often within constrained resources and a fast-changing legal and policy landscape. 

For council leaders, one of the most pressing questions is: how do we build the right teams to deliver on this future? 

In our work with councils across the country, we see a theme coming up repeatedly: devolution isn’t just about policy change – it’s about people. The success or failure of these new structures could rest on whether leaders have the foresight to invest in their workforce now, rather than scrambling to react later. 

Below are some practical considerations around workforce planning, upskilling, and recruitment strategies that can help local authorities prepare for what’s ahead. 

Strategic workforce planning 

Devolution requires councils to anticipate future demand and ensure their teams are structured to meet it. This goes beyond filling vacancies reactively, it’s about: 

• Forecasting demand: understanding which legal and governance skills will be most needed under new devolved arrangements, from procurement and commercial expertise to governance and constitutional law. 
• Identifying gaps: mapping current team capabilities against future needs to highlight areas requiring investment or new hires. 
• Building resilience: ensuring teams have both breadth and depth of knowledge so that services remain robust, even with turnover or unexpected demand. 

Too often, councils treat workforce planning as a ‘nice to have’ – but in a devolved environment, it becomes non-negotiable. Leaders must think not only about the workforce they need today, but also the shape of their teams in five to ten years. 

To find out more, take a look at our blog on Understanding devolution and local government reorganisation: what it means for public sector recruitment. 

Upskilling and retaining existing talent 

Retaining staff will be just as critical as recruiting new ones. Councils should consider: 

• Targeted training in areas such as governance, housing, commercial contracts, and regeneration projects, which are increasingly key under devolved responsibilities. 
• Flexible career pathways that enable Lawyers and governance professionals to progress without necessarily moving into management roles, which can help retain technical specialists. 
• Mentoring and knowledge sharing across authorities or within combined authority structures to spread expertise and reduce silos. 

Retention is no longer about pay alone, but about purpose. The best public sector professionals are motivated by impact, development, and the chance to shape their communities. Leaders who fail to invest in meaningful career progression risk losing talent to the private sector or neighbouring councils. 

Recruitment strategies for a competitive local government market

With demand for skilled public sector Lawyers at an all-time high, attracting the right talent requires a considered approach: 

• Employer branding: councils should communicate the unique value of working within local government, such as community impact, high-quality work, and work-life balance. 
• Flexible resourcing: consider a blended workforce model, combining permanent staff with locum or interim professionals to deliver expertise where needed, without long-term overheads. 
• Proactive pipelines: building relationships with potential candidates in advance, whether through partnerships with universities, professional networks, or working with specialist recruiters who understand the public sector market.

The councils that succeed in this market are those who think like the best employers in the private sector – who market themselves, tell their story, and create a culture that professionals actively want to join.  

Collaboration across the devolved landscape 

Devolution creates opportunities for collaboration across combined authorities and partner organisations. Shared legal services and pooled expertise can help authorities meet demand more efficiently while offering employees access to more varied and challenging work. 

Forward-thinking leaders won’t see collaboration as a threat to autonomy, but as a way of strengthening it. Pooling expertise ensures that specialist knowledge flows across the system to raise standards for all.  

Leading through devolution

Devolved powers bring with them the chance for councils to reimagine how they deliver services and create lasting impact for communities. But success will depend on people – attracting, developing, and retaining the right talent to navigate complex legal and governance challenges. 

For council leaders, the message is clear: the team you build today will define the success of devolution tomorrow. Those who act decisively – planning strategically, investing in people, and embracing innovative recruitment – will not only meet the demand of devolution but set a new standard for public service leadership. 

By embedding strategic workforce planning, investing in upskilling, and adopting innovative recruitment strategies, council leaders can ensure their teams are not only fit for purpose today but ready to thrive in a devolved future. 

At Sellick Partnership, we work closely with local authorities and combined authorities across the UK to help them secure the specialist legal talent they need, whether on a permanent, interim, or project basis. 

If you are looking for advice on workforce planning, building resilience into your legal teams, or attracting the right professionals to deliver on devolved powers, get in touch with us today.