Local authorities can't deliver the ambitious programmes communities need without properly valuing the people who run them, writes Tessa Neal, Policy and Public Affairs Advisor at the Association for Project Management (APM). New APM research reveals a profession under-recognised, under-trained and increasingly hollowed out – but combined authorities show a better way is possible.

Local authorities across the UK are under immense pressure. They are being asked to deliver more complex programmes, manage tighter budgets and respond to growing community expectations. Yet amid discussions about funding, reform and service transformation, one critical factor is often overlooked: the people responsible for delivering change.

APM's recent report, But What About the Locals? Understanding Project Management in Local Government, shines a light on the experiences of project professionals working across councils and combined authorities. The message is clear: local government cannot deliver successful projects without investing in the skills, training and professional development of the workforce responsible for making change happen.

Motivated by public service, not personal gain

One of the most encouraging findings from our research is the commitment of project professionals working in local government.

Many respondents had previously worked in the private sector or central government before moving into local authorities. Their motivation was rarely financial. Instead, they were attracted by the opportunity to make a tangible difference to people's lives and see the real-world impact of the projects they deliver. Whether improving local infrastructure, supporting regeneration, delivering environmental programmes or transforming public services, project professionals are often driven by a strong sense of public purpose.

However, many also told us they feel their contribution is not sufficiently recognised by their organisations. Despite being responsible for delivering complex programmes that directly affect residents, project professionals often feel undervalued and misunderstood.

A profession still fighting for recognition

A concerning theme running throughout the research is the growing ‘deprofessionalisation’ of project management within some local authorities. Project professionals reported spending significant amounts of time explaining what project management actually involves. Many described a persistent misconception that project managers are little more than administrators. Nearly a third (32%) of respondents said that council staff did not understand what project management is. Local authority project professionals stated that a big part of their role is ensuring that people understand that project management is not admin, yet they still receive tasks that include admin requests. Some described a perception that project managers are ‘overqualified administrators’, while others felt their role had become a catch-all for work that operational teams lacked the capacity to deliver.

Poor understanding leads to poor hiring decisions

Our research suggests that weak understanding of project management is influencing recruitment and workforce planning decisions across some councils. Practitioners reported seeing project roles downgraded, project responsibilities reduced, job titles altered to remove references to project management and senior expertise replaced with more junior appointments. While these changes may appear to offer short-term savings, they can create long-term capability gaps.

Experienced project professionals told us they have seen skilled practitioners leave local government and be replaced by significantly less experienced staff. In turn, councils become increasingly reliant on external consultants, lose valuable institutional knowledge and reduce continuity across major programmes. The result can lead to tensions within teams between those seeking to uphold recognised project management standards and those focused solely on delivering immediate outputs. At a time when councils are under pressure to maximise value for money, this should be a cause for concern.

The training gap threatening future delivery

Perhaps the most worrying finding from the report concerns training and professional development.

Project professionals consistently reported that investment in project-related training is often viewed as a lower priority than other workforce development needs. Many described limited awareness of advanced project management qualifications, including Chartered Project Professional (ChPP) status, and little organisational recognition for those who achieve them.

Only a quarter of project professionals working for non-combined authority councils agreed they had adequate access to training opportunities, while nearly 60% disagreed. Respondents also highlighted a lack of consistency in training provision across local government. In many authorities, project management training is not mandatory, onboarding arrangements vary considerably and access to development opportunities depends heavily on local budgets and individual managers. Senior practitioners reported feeling personally responsible for maintaining standards, often delivering training themselves to compensate for organisational shortcomings. As a result, capability development can become dependent on the goodwill and capacity of experienced individuals rather than a structured organisational approach.

Learning from success

There are, however, positive examples that demonstrate what good practice looks like.

Project professionals working within Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCAs) reported significantly more positive experiences. Eighty per cent agreed that colleagues understood their profession, while 60% strongly agreed that senior management valued project expertise. Importantly, MCA professionals also reported stronger access to training, skills development and career progression opportunities.

While combined authorities operate in different contexts and often benefit from greater funding flexibility, their experience demonstrates that investing in project capability delivers benefits for both staff and organisations.

Building the skills local government Needs

If local government is serious about delivering ambitious programmes, attracting talent and achieving better outcomes for communities, project capability must become a strategic workforce priority.

APM's report makes several recommendations focused specifically on employment, skills and training:

• Foster organisational-wide project management comprehension

Poor understanding of project management principles is a barrier to project delivery and leads to pushback against expertise. Enhancing understanding of the value of project management across organisations is essential to long-term project delivery. This can be achieved through capacity building initiatives and mandatory project management training for all staff, not just project teams.

• Maintain consistent project competence standards within project teams

Local authorities need to ensure that new hires are adequately vetted, that all project staff are given consistent training and the necessary resource. This can be achieved through consistent employment standards for project professionals, including clearer recruitment criteria, stronger assessment of competence and structured career pathways. Training resources should be shared more effectively across local government, creating accessible and consistent project management learning opportunities regardless of geography or authority type.

• Structure project management methods and learn from each other

Effective practice across councils will improve project outcomes, leading to stronger team efficiency, achieving better value for money and enhancing an organisation’s delivery reputation. This can be achieved through sharing of best practice, expertise retention, independent audits of council projects, greater transparency in communication of projects and project decisions being evaluated by senior project practitioners, adequately balancing political vs project concerns.