What is interesting about the appointment of Sir Michael Lyons to chair the BBC is not so much his background as a ‘market trader’ but his career since he stepped down as Birmingham City Council’s chief executive.
The boy done good alright, but he done even better in the past six years since he left the Council House.
His progression, at a time when many people of his age are resigned, or consigned, to early retirement, is not just a sign of a less ageist wind of change but also of the increasing respect Whitehall and Westminster have for local government careerists.
Sir Michael himself, after Birmingham, appeared initially to immerse himself in the traditional career of a retired chief executive, with a professorship at INLOGOV, various conference speaking slots and one or two non-executive directorships.
Then came the call from on high, advising on the relocation of Whitehall, becoming deputy chairman at the Audit Commission, leading the Lyons inquiry… and now, the BBC, at the grand age of 57. Many chief executives will be hoping some of his stardust will also blow their way, and the bigger beasts among them will probably be right.
Ministers are increasingly turning to local government to lead inquiries and fill Whitehall hotspots. Only last week, the Cabinet Office announced that the head of its new Local Better Regulation Office is Clive Grace, ex-SOLACE secretary and Torfaen chief executive.
Norfolk CC chief executive, Tim Byles, chair of SOLACE, was among the high-profile managers to move recently to Whitehall when he was poached to head up the troubled Partnership for Schools programme.
Doubtless, he will have run into DfES permanent secretary, David Bell, a former chief executive of Bedfordshire, or even Christine Gilbert, new head of Ofsted and former Tower Hamlets chief executive, or maybe DCLG permanent secretary, Peter Housden, once Nottinghamshire CC chief.
He may even, on the circuit, see Joe Montgomery, DCLG director general, former regeneration director at Lewisham LBC.
Last year, ex-Liverpool chief, Sir David Henshaw, now, incidentally, chair of a PCT, was hired by ministers to review the future of the troubled Child Support Agency.
Of course, Lin Homer, director, immigration and nationality at the Home Office, has been ensconsced there for a while, no doubt feeling that despite her travails, life after Birmingham City Council is still easier. And John Harwood, ex-Oxfordshire CC, after a stint as first head of the Learning and Skills Council, has ended up in charge of the Food Standards Agency.
Able council chief executives and chief officers are increasingly able to market themselves across the public sector as Whitehall, sometimes though with reluctance, opens itself up to entrants from outside the traditional Civil Service route.
This is just as well, because being a chief executive these days is a tough call and potentially, a career-stopper. Turnover among council chief executives is running at some 30% in some areas, and the impact of the new unitaries threatens the jobs of 55 district council chiefs.
It is clearly nonsensical, not to say costly, to have skilled managers in their mid-50s tending the roses when the drive for public sector reform continues unabated.
There needs to be still more two-way traffic between Whitehall and town hall, especially from the latter to the former.
Most senior local government managers have climbed a long and greasy pole to the top, gaining plenty of experience en route, not least at dealing with politicians. Their expertise should be used on the national stage.
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