With local authorities across England and Wales facing their most significant political shifts in years, PPMA President Sandra Farquharson argues that HR and organisational development professionals have a pivotal role to play in turning new administrations' promises into delivered outcomes.

The local election results across England and Wales have produced some of the most significant shifts in the political landscape in years. We have new parties in power in authorities, coalitions where single-party administration was once the norm and long-established political majorities gone. For every watcher of politics, the scale of change is notable.

But while the political complexion of many local authorities is now different, every newly elected administration has one thing in common: a mandate and a set of promises made to the communities that voted for them that need fulfilling.

The agenda may be new and the priorities will be different, but the officers, the teams, the institutional knowledge and the operational capability are the same ones that were there the day before the votes were counted.

The consistency of Public Sector Officers is what supports and stabilises organisations. We know how things work, what has been tried, what the mandate will mean and what the organisation can realistically deliver.

There is a perception in some quarters that public servants resist change, that officers are the ones who slow things down or water ambitions down. The reality is the opposite. It is precisely the people working in local authorities who have the knowledge and capability to turn political ambition into delivered outcomes. Public Sector Officers are 'how' the mandate gets delivered when elections are replaced by governing.

Human resources (HR) and organisational development (OD) sits at the heart of that work. When a new administration takes control, the questions that follow are fundamentally people questions. How do we build the right relationships between elected members and officers? How do we align the organisation around new priorities without losing momentum on what is already being delivered? How do we keep the workforce focused, motivated and clear on what is expected of them at a time of change or potential uncertainty?

These questions are all about people, culture and leadership and how well they are answered will have a material influence on whether the next four years are judged a success.

The quality of the relationship between elected members and officers is one of the most significant factors in whether a new administration delivers on its promises. Where that relationship works well, built on mutual respect, honest communication, and a shared understanding of how the organisation works, the art of the possible expands considerably.

HR and OD professionals have a direct role in shaping that relationship. By being active, visible and engaged from the start, helping new members understand the organisation they are now leading and supporting officers to communicate clearly and build trust quickly. In these conditions difficult conversations can be productive, common ground can be found and delivery risk minimised.

Beyond the member-officer relationship, there is the broader organisational challenge. Political change at this scale sends signals through an organisation and people want to know what it means for them, for their teams, for the work they do. Uncertainty, if it is not addressed, becomes anxiety which if left unmanaged can become paralysis. HR and OD professionals understand this dynamic better than anyone and are best placed to help organisations move through it quickly and constructively. For all of this to work, HR and OD must see this as a moment to step forward with confidence and a clear offer of where their value and expertise can deliver better outcomes.

The new political landscape needs people who understand organisations, who can build bridges between ambition and delivery, and who know how to bring workforces with them through change. That is what HR and OD does and that is what this moment calls for.