Every year, we ask members of our network to help us find leaders to advise us over the next 12 months. Nominations open on 2 December 2015 for the 2016 Guardian Public Leaders editorial advisory board.
It has been a turbulent year for UK public services. A spending review heralded by some as an end to austerity brought with it a 56% cut to central government grants for local authorities. The civil service is now at its smallest since the second world war. George Osborne’s £3.8bn funding boost to the NHS has been welcomed, but experts warn that it won’t cover a seven-day service. Police budgets have been frozen rather than cut, largely as a reaction to serious terrorism threats.
Here on the network, we have taken an independent view of public leadership and policy, guided by the nine members of our 2015 board. They have been a fantastic resource for our journalists and editors, and have helped us see the Public Leaders Network achieve even wider audiences this year. More than 27,000 members are now signed up to the network and visits to our website have increased by 10% a month. So a big thank you to Katy Bourne, Jessica Crowe, Sarah Guerra, Maria Kane, Milind Kolhatkar, Stephen Moir, Joanne Roney, Tom Smith and Julie Towers.
We’re now looking for nine leaders to join our 2016 board. As ever, we’re asking you, the members of the Public Leaders Network, to nominate the people you’d like to see work with us over the next 12 months. Once again, we want a board that reflects all those who deliver public services, including central government, local government and the private and voluntary sectors.
Who is eligible?
Nominees can work in any organisation and in any sector, as long as they have a proven role in public services. The final board will be chosen from a shortlist decided by the editor and will represent as far as possible a wide cross-section of those planning, designing and leading UK public services, including leaders from the private and voluntary sectors.
How do I nominate?
Before you nominate anyone, please check they are happy for you to do so. You will have to provide current contact details for yourself and the person you are nominating. You may not nominate yourself and you must be a member of the Public Leaders Network to take part in this election. Not already a member? It’s quick and easy to join here.
What does being on the Public Leaders board involve?
The main task of our board members is to attend two board meetings, the first on Tuesday 26 January and the other in mid-June, to help us plan our content. At these meetings, we’d like each board member to give a brief overview of policy, skills and leadership issues in their sector.
Why become a member of the Public Leaders board?
The Guardian Public Leaders Network is unique in its breadth of public services coverage. When you join our board, you get a chance to come into the Guardian twice a year, to share your experience and catch up with leaders from other parts of public service. Former board members have found it stimulating and informative, and of course this process helps us ensure that the network is catching the mood of what’s going on in public services.
When’s the deadline?
Nominations open on Wednesday 2 December 2015 and close at middayon Saturday 9 January 2016.
What do I need to do?
In the form below, please provide full contact details for yourself and the person you wish to nominate, including email, phone number, job title, organisation and a brief sentence on why you think they should join our board.
Before you nominate anyone, please check they are happy for you to do so, and ensure all their contact details are up to date. If possible, please check if they are free for the first board meeting on Tuesday 26 January.
What happens next?
Once nominations have closed, the editor will draw up a shortlist and the final board for 2016 will be agreed in consultation with members of this year’s board. We will let our new board members know the decision by Friday 15 January 2016, when the list of new board members will be published on the network.
Any queries?
Email public.leaders@theguardian.com if you have any questions.
Nominate now
If you’re ready to nominate, please first provide information about the person you want to nominate and then tell us about yourself. Don’t forget that nominations will close at noon on Saturday 9 January 2016.
Make your nomination using the form below:
