Boosting Middle Leaders is a practical leadership development programme designed to strengthen both the capacity of, and connection between, councillors and officers from across the country.
With its unique blend of political and managerial leadership, the programme builds trust, tests new ways of working, and develops the confidence and skills needed to lead change in organisations and across systems. Its ultimate aim is to equip participants to deliver better outcomes for their communities - together.
The programme is delivered through a blended approach: combining face-to-face sessions, online learning and both independent and group-based work. It forms part of the Leading Edge offer, delivered in collaboration with the Leadership Centre, which brings deep expertise in systems leadership and a long track record of supporting development across local government.
At the heart of the programme are the real system challenges participants are working on – the issues that don’t have straightforward solutions and require cross-sector collaboration, political acumen and adaptive leadership. The programme creates space to explore these real-life challenges, while applying practical tools and approaches to make progress in complex environments. A particular focus is placed on leading across roles and functions to unlock outcomes that no single part of the system can deliver alone.
Who the Programme is for
- officers: heads of service, assistant directors, and directors
- councillors: cabinet members and committee chairs (including Overview & Scrutiny and regulatory committees).
It is particularly suited to those navigating complexity and working at the intersection of political, professional, and community leadership.
Programme updates
Now in its fifth cohort, Boosting Middle Leaders has built on previous successes and been further refined to respond to the evolving landscape of local government. We are redesigning Boosting Middle Leaders for 2026/27 so it speaks to the context you are leading in: political change, reorganisation and devolution, financial constraints and rising demand. The outline below gives you a clear sense of the experience and we will keep applicants updated with the programme design and logistics.
The Game Changer Index: This tool explores how individuals are energised to make an impact. Working in local government is a privileged position in which people’s lives are directly affected. The GC index will open up reflection and conversation on how and where you, as a leader, are most energised in service of this impact. Each participant will complete the index, receive a one-to-one review with an accredited professional and continue to work with it throughout the programme.
Personalised development plans: On applying for the programme, you will already have identified aspects of your leadership you want to amplify and areas you wish to strengthen. Through a guided process, you will shape your own plan with input from the colleagues who work most closely with you – 'sponsored’ by your line manager.
This will be complemented by coaching support from members of our faculty, ensuring your development is anchored in real practice and tangible change.
Designing your capabilities: At the opening residential, we will collectively explore and agree the leadership capabilities that will shape the programme. This ensures the programme remains responsive to the needs of the group while being underpinned by shared capability goals.
Impact
The most recent cohort rated the programme 9.5 out of 10 on average. Participants consistently described it as confidence-building, eye-opening, and highly practical.
Fee
The fee for Boosting Middle Leaders is £1000 per participant, which includes venue hire, accommodation, and all design and delivery costs. This subsidised rate is made possible thanks to funding from UK Government.
Dates for the next cohort are as follows:
|
Date |
Type of engagement |
|---|---|
|
November 2026 |
Online onboarding |
|
23-24 November 2026 |
Overnight in-person residential |
|
8 December 2026 |
1-hour online workshop |
|
12 January 2027 |
In-person workshop day |
|
11 February 2027 |
1-hour online workshop |
|
9 March 2027 |
In-person workshop day |
Please note, these dates are illustrative and may change as we finalise the 2026/27 design. We will confirm final dates with participants.
Applications
Applications are now open. Please complete the application form: Boosting Middle Leaders Programme 2026/27: Application Form – Fill in form
Applications will close at 23.59 on 5 October 2026.
Please note applying does not guarantee a space on the programme. We will review all applications and will be in touch with the outcome after the closing date of 5 October 2026.
If you would like to find out more about the programme, please email [email protected] and we can arrange a short call to answer any questions.
The programme built my confidence in approaching difficult challenges and I learned a huge amount from hearing other perspectives. One of the biggest benefits was having both officers and councillors learning together. It created a real sense of shared objectives and a better understanding of each other's roles. – officer participant
This course really helped me clarify what I wanted to achieve and gave me the tools I needed to do it. I feel like I’m a better councillor and a better person as a result. – member participant