Why context matters in local government advice

What’s the issue?

In central government, your Minister’s priorities often guide the shape of your advice. In local government, it’s more complex – your audience is a whole council, made up of elected members with diverse views, interests, and mandates.

Councillors often represent specific communities or portfolios. That means they’re balancing local needs and values with broader, strategic goals – and that balance can shift quickly depending on what’s happening in the community.

Why does it matter?

When your advice doesn’t take context into account, it can come across as tone-deaf – or worse, politically naïve. For example, if you’re recommending a change that might increase rates, it helps to show that you understand the local pressures – like a community recovering from a weather event, or residents already struggling with affordability.

Elected members are more likely to trust advice that shows you’ve heard community concerns and considered the wider picture. That doesn’t mean telling them what they want to hear – but it does mean being aware of the local landscape they’re operating in.

What’s the solution?

Use recent council resolutions, community engagement findings, and the Long-Term Plan as signals of the council’s current priorities and pressures. Tailor your writing to reflect these. Given the number of interest groups to consider, presenting options with your advice enables councillors to balance trade-offs.

Think: what’s already on elected members’ radar? What risks might they need to weigh up?

It also helps to test your advice with colleagues who work directly with elected members – like governance advisors or communications staff – to make sure you’re hitting the right note. Advice that’s technically sound and locally attuned is far more likely to land well.