Empowering leaders to shape the future of local government

The Leader's Legacy is an online leadership development programme for local government professionals, offering self-paced, expert-led courses designed to help councils nurture  effective leadership culture through accessible, flexible, and lasting learning.

GET STARTED

Whether you're the CEX, Director, Head of Service or a Team Manager in local government, The Leader’s Legacy is an online training programme that will strengthen your impact across services and teams.

We understand the world you’re working in: constant change, shrinking resources, restructures, and the challenge of attracting, retaining and motivating a committed workforce. That's why we've built our training programmes for leaders navigating political complexity, public scrutiny, limited budgets and uncertainty.

Here, you’ll find the space and practical tools to help you lead with clarity, and strengthen your confidence when the pressure is on.

Your leadership. Your legacy.

Shaped by the realities of local government

Access our online courses anytime, anywhere, no need to coordinate diaries or book rooms. Engage in bite-sized, online modules that fit into busy public service life. Learn independently or as a team, with built-in reflection tools.

SEE HOW IT WORKS

Designed for real-world leadership

Our programmes tackle the realities of council leadership – the difficult conversations, constant change, tight resources, and the decisions nobody can agree on. You’ll walk away with practical strategies that make your next challenge feel easier.

SEE PROGRAMMES

Real Leaders Real Experience

Our core trainer and other leaders are respected and sought-after in their fields, sharing the insight and wisdom earned across long careers. They’ve led teams, managed complexity and delivered real change, giving you guidance that’s practical and relevant.

SEE LEADERS
 
ABOUT

Claire Chidley

Claire Chidley (MA, MBA) is a creative force in modern leadership, with a long and respected career in senior local government. In her subsequent path as a professional coach and international speaker, Claire has a passion for helping people think differently.

As a Leadership Development Associate and Coach, Claire has worked with local authorities, universities, housing associations, national parks, and charities across the UK, helping them strengthen both personal and collective leadership impact.

Before founding her successful consultancy, CreateTomorrowToday, Claire spent 20 years in local government — including as Corporate Director for Test Valley Borough Council and senior roles in Poole and the London Borough of Enfield. Earlier in her career, she was a Partner at Comedia, working alongside Charles Landry and Phil Wood to advise world cities on how culture and creativity drive regeneration. Her coaching and speaking work has taken her across the globe, additionally offering international perspectives.

Today, through The Leader’s Legacy, Claire combines her 35 year career with her passion for community, creativity, and leadership transformation, helping the next generation of public sector leaders leave a lasting legacy on the future.

"Working with Claire means you’ll find your purpose, be ready to run a marathon, or start a business. She’s the powerhouse, provocateur and pathfinder you need to ignite your potential, passion and purpose, but Claire does this all in a calm and supportive manner to help unlock your leadership potential."

SCOTT LOGAN

Former CEX (Basildon), specialising in Devolution, LGR, and Place Leadership.

"Claire has an extraordinary ability to break down complex leadership challenges to make them feel clear and manageable. Working with her genuinely changes your approach because she offers practical strategies you can actually use."

JONATHAN STEPHENSON

CEX (Brentwood Borough Council & Rochford District Council)

 

"The programme lands well with the current climate. It’s rare to find training that understands the political dynamics of local government. You can expect staff to feel more equipped to approach the day-to-day challenges of working in local government."

TIM SLATER

Head of HR & OD (Teinbridge District Council)

Meet Our Leaders

Our expert trainers bring decades of real leadership experience to your online learning.

Creative Thinking & Resilience

Claire is a leadership coach, author and international speaker with a creative approach to modern leadership. With 20 years in local government, including as Corporate Director at Test Valley Borough Council, she has worked across the UK public sector and globally on culture-led change. Through The Leader’s Legacy, Claire supports leaders to create lasting, values-led impact.

Communications & Marketing

Kathryn is a strategic marketing and communications consultant working with complex organisations including Heathrow Airport and Arup. She helps leaders navigate change through clear, authentic communication that builds trust and alignment, specialising in energy, climate, sustainability, transport, safety, technology and culture change to deliver impact beyond communication.

Futures Thinking & Scenario Planning

Gill is a global authority on strategy and scenario planning. Her career spans academia at Oxford and UC Berkeley, senior leadership including building a £3bn business for ICL, and advising governments and the European Commission worldwide. An accomplished author, her work is taught at leading business schools, including Harvard, and continues to shape thinking on future risk and resilience.

Health & Wellbeing

Andrea is an experienced and sought-after health, safety and wellbeing professional, working across national charities and business units since qualifying in the late 1990s. A registered IOSH and CIEH trainer, she advises on occupational safety, risk reduction and wellbeing, bringing a practical, proportionate approach that strengthens compliance, culture and effective risk management.

Relationship Building

Malcolm is a psychotherapist with over 30 years’ experience and Co-Founder of Alternatives at St James’ Church, London. He runs groups internationally, with his London One Year Group at the heart of his work, creating environments of trust that deepen relationships, strengthen communication and support compassionate leadership.

Project & Change Management

Joy is a digital and governance leader, formerly Head of IT Services at Test Valley Borough Council. She later became Accreditation Manager at the British Chambers of Commerce and has served on the boards of PRINCE2 and ITIL. Joy specialises in project management, change and governance, supporting organisations to deliver complex transformation with clarity and rigour.

Programmes

Take control of your leadership with our flexible, self-paced, online programmes.

  • Six core programmes delivered by founder, Claire Chidley
  • Professionally pre-recorded video modules
  • Self-paced, subtitled video content (case studies, exercises, reflection)
  • Downloadable and printable toolkits
  • Additional: Strategies, motivation, and career stories from local government professionals, including Chief Executives, Directors, and Heads of Service in our Masterclass podcast audio interviews
SEE COURSES

How To Have Difficult Conversations

  • Equip yourself for difficult conversations with members, senior officers, your teams and community stakeholders

  • How to navigate conflict

  • Saying “no” or “not yet" with clarity

  • Holding staff to expectations and standards consistently 

  • Improving your own and others' emotional literacy

Training: 1 hour

 

Working in a Political Environment

  • Working collaboratively with councillors and the public

  • Maintaining neutrality while navigating different agendas

  • Professionally managing public scrutiny and reputational risk

  • Understanding the priorities and challenges politicians face

Training: 1 hour

 

Resilience Under Pressure

  • Tools for maintaining calm and clarity during scrutiny, service challenges, restructures and media attention

  • Techniques to stay steady during conflict

  • Boundary-setting in a 24/7 expectation environment

  • Switching from survival mode to reduce burnout

    Training: 1 hour
 

From Plan to Practice: Turning Strategy Into Day-to-Day Action

  • Setting your vision mission and how to prioritise when everything feels urgent

  • Linking service planning to real outcomes (not just paperwork)

  • Stopping reactive firefighting and building forward momentum

  • Keeping delivery on track when resources are limited

    Training: 1 hour
 

Leading With Clarity Through Uncertainty & Change

  • Making confident decisions with incomplete information and shifting priorities

  • Maintaining trust and motivation to help teams cope through change

  • Communicating change without triggering panic

  • Identifying what must stay stable when everything else is moving

Training: 1 hour

 

Developing Your Leadership Style & Identity

  • Identifying your natural leadership strengths and leading with consistency

  • Understanding how you show up under pressure

  • Moving away from silo thinking

  • Avoiding burnout from role-shape imitation and over-performance

    Training: 1 hour
 

The Leader's Legacy Full Training Suite

Invest In Yourself. Ideal for individual council leaders and managers wishing to pursue their own independent self-development. Single user access to all six core programmes for one year. This login is for your sole use. Price includes VAT.

ÂŁ179.00 GBP
START NOW

Looking for flexible training for your whole council?

Your investment is designed to be cost-effective compared to traditional in-person training and is tailored to the size of your council.

County/City/London

ÂŁ4000 PA + VAT

FOR UP TO 350 LEADERS & MANAGERS

Unitary

ÂŁ3000 PA + VAT

FOR UP TO 200 LEADERS & MANAGERS

District

ÂŁ2000 PA + VAT

FOR UP TO 100 LEADERS & MANAGERS

Parish/Town

ÂŁ700 PA + VAT

FOR UP TO 5 LEADERS & MANAGERS

What You're Getting

  1. Unlimited access to all training programmes, resources and Masterclass podcast for one year
  2. Self-manage your own cohorts
  3. Individual logins to personalise learning and track progress
  4. Onboarding and follow-up technical support
JOIN NOW

What Your Council Gains

  • Faster, stronger decision-making in senior teams
  • More effective officer–member relationships
  • Reduced escalation of issues
  • More confident leadership in politically sensitive situations
  • Increased resilience in periods of scrutiny, transformation or budget pressure

Built For The Reality Of Local Government

  • Addresses scrutiny, governance, and public accountability
  • Rooted in understanding of budget constraints, public value and statutory duties
  • Focuses on delivering results in complex, multi-stakeholder environments
  • Supports leaders during elections, restructures and transformation programmes
FREE

Quick Win

Try our free plan-on-a-page for a better day at work tomorrow!

I WANT A BETTER DAY TOMORROW

Get Started

Register Your Council

Please register your council for The Leader's Legacy (Annual Access) here.

Register

All Access

If your council/organisation has instructed you to create an account, please do so here.

Create Account