Strategic governance essentials: Local Legends

Governance is a collective discipline. It's built in how a council makes decisions under pressure, how it manages disagreement without losing sight of community outcomes and how elected members hold each other to the standards that good governance demands. When those foundations are solid, councils perform. When they're not, the gaps show in slow decisions, in boundary disputes between elected members and staff and in public confidence that erodes over time.

Local Legends is designed to help councils build and strengthen governance foundations. Together, at your pace and in a format that fits how you work.

What it is

An online, workshop-based strategic governance programme developed by Alicia McKay, New Zealand's leading local government strategy expert, Alicia is the author of Local Legends: How to Make a Difference in Local Government, and one of the Local Government Information Unit's Top 25 Global Thinkers.

• Self-paced video modules (no external facilitator required)
• Supporting governance materials to support stronger decision-making. These are downloadable and can be reused
• A half-day or full-day workshop format, or shorter sessions across the triennium
  

What's included

The programme covers four learning blocks:

• Foundations: Set direction, clarify roles and agree how you'll work together. Build the shared expectations that hold everything else in place.
• Perspective: Understand the strategic role of elected members. Ask better questions, improve transparency and avoid common decision traps.
• Relationships: Build trust, manage disagreement and strengthen how you work as a group.
• Decisions: Understand what good decision-making looks like. Work through the stages of a decision process, learn how to use decision models, recognise where bias shows up and agree clear decision criteria.

When your council accesses Local Legends through Ākona, you’ll receive:

• Pre-recorded video modules facilitated by Alicia McKay
• A printable group workbook
• Role clarity cards
• A quality questions tip sheet
• Communication templates for public and media requests
• Meeting simulation cards
• A group learning guidebook
• A self-assessment audit
• The Local Legends e-book

These resources are available to download and can be reused over time.

How Local Legends supports your work

The Local Legends Toolkit has been developed to support newly elected and returning councillors to build a shared way of working. Use it to:

• Set clear expectations in preparation for the long-term planning process
• Improve how decisions are worked through at the table
• Strengthen working relationships between members
• Stay focused on long-term outcomes when the pressure mounts
  

Who it's for

Elected members, Mayors and Chairs who want to govern strategically.

Access the toolkit

LGNZ member rate: $5,000 per council. Unlimited access to all content and resources.

To find out more or arrange access for your council, contact the Ākona team: akona@lgnz.co.nz