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What to Expect in 2026: A Year of Opportunity for Local Government Lawyers and Monitoring Officers
As local government moves into 2026, the speed of change is accelerating. For lawyers and monitoring officers, this is not a moment to retreat into compliance, but an invitation to lead. Legal and governance professionals are increasingly recognised as strategic advisors, working at the heart of law, politics, technology, ethics, and public trust.
The year ahead will undoubtedly require resilience and adaptability. But more importantly, it offers a powerful opportunity: to shape better decision-making, strengthen democratic legitimacy, and help local government respond confidently to complexity.
1. The Rise of the Strategic Adviser
One of the most encouraging developments for 2026 is the continued evolution of the legal and monitoring officer role. The days of “commenting at the end” or quietly maintaining the constitution are fading. In their place is a growing appreciation that early, well-judged legal and governance input leads to better outcomes — legally, politically, and reputationally.
Opportunity: Lawyers and monitoring officers who can translate legal complexity into clear, practical, and politically informed advice are becoming central to organisational leadership. This is a chance to move beyond gatekeeping and to shape policy, enable innovation, and model ethical leadership across the council. This will be particularly crucial in the context of Local Government Reorganisation, advising on new, modern governance frameworks and new efficient ways of working to create value.
Challenge: With greater influence comes the need for confidence and clarity of role. Navigating ambition, compliance and political expectation require judgement and courage — but it is precisely this skillset that defines trusted advisers in 2026. Local Government Reorganisation will also vastly decrease the number of statutory roles and drive a rethink around the delivery of the monitoring officer function.
2. Navigating Political Change with Confidence
Political volatility remains a feature of the local government landscape. More councils than ever before are experiencing changes in administration or operating with no overall control, alongside ongoing financial pressure and public scrutiny.
Opportunity: In this environment, Monitoring Officers are anchors of stability. Strong constitutions, clear delegations, and sound standards processes enable members and officers to make decisions confidently, even when politics is fluid. Lawyers and monitoring officers are uniquely placed to support constructive debate while safeguarding legality and fairness. A new standards framework will bring accountability – will we finally get a Code of Conduct with teeth?
Challenge: Scrutiny is more visible and immediate. This places a premium on clarity, transparency, and professionalism — and offers the chance to demonstrate the value of calm, independent advice grounded in principle.
3. Financial Pressure
Many councils will continue to operate under significant financial constraint in 2026. Yet necessity is also driving creativity: new delivery models, collaboration, commercial approaches, and asset strategies are reshaping how services are provided.
Opportunity: Legal and governance teams are key enablers of this innovation. Expertise in commercial law, procurement reform, subsidy control and risk management allows councils to be bold while remaining lawful. This is an opportunity to be problem-solvers — helping organisations do things differently, not just defensively.
Challenge: The environment demands rigour and clarity. Clear advice, good documentation and strong professional judgement are more valuable than ever — and reinforce the credibility of the legal and governance function.
4. Embracing Technology and Ethical Leadership
AI and digital tools are increasingly part of everyday local government practice, from data analysis to document drafting and decision-making support.
Opportunity: For lawyers and monitoring officers, technology offers the chance to reduce routine workload, improve consistency and focus on higher-value advisory work. Those who engage early can help shape ethical, lawful, and transparent approaches to AI — ensuring innovation aligns with public sector values.
Challenge: Technology works best when underpinned by strong governance. This creates a natural leadership role for legal professionals in setting frameworks that balance efficiency with accountability.
5. Investing in People and Professional Resilience
Workforce pressures remain real, but there is increasing recognition of the importance of supporting those who work in high-profile, politically sensitive roles.
Opportunity: 2026 offers space to rethink how legal and governance services are structured and supported — through flexible working, collaboration, shared services, and stronger professional communities. Initiatives such as the new Association of Monitoring Officers reflect a growing commitment to peer support, development, and collective voice.
Challenge: Sustainable governance depends on people. Investing in wellbeing, development and succession planning is no longer optional — it is foundational to effective local democracy. Additionally, the decision on the Mazur case has blurred the role of the legal executive and legal assistant. We strive for clarity and reform in 2026.
6. Re-building and Sustaining Public Trust
Public trust remains fragile, but this also sharpens the importance of good governance. Transparency, fairness, and ethical conduct are not simply compliance requirements — they are the building blocks of legitimacy.
Opportunity: Local government lawyers and monitoring officers are custodians of these values. This is a moment to show that governance is not a barrier to delivery, but a source of confidence, consistency, and public reassurance.
Challenge: In a world of instant commentary, perception matters. Clear communication and principled decision-making help ensure that councils are not only acting lawfully but are seen to be doing so.
Looking Ahead
2026 will undoubtedly ask a great deal of local government lawyers and monitoring officers. But it is also a year rich with opportunity — to lead with integrity, to influence with confidence, and to prove the true value of public sector legal and governance expertise.
Local government lawyers and monitoring officers exist not simply to advise on the law, but to help councils navigate complexity positively, ethically and with confidence — strengthening local democracy for the communities they serve.
Those who thrive will be those who combine technical excellence with judgement, courage, and empathy.
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