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New guide aims to demystify ‘golden triangle’ statutory officer roles

LLG, Solace, and CIPFA have published a new guide on the roles and responsibilities of the three 'Golden Triangle' officers in a bid to improve understanding of their duties "at a time of major change for councils".

Details

The guidance, Golden Triangle: Governance Roles and Responsibilities, provides a summary for each role - head of paid service, monitoring officer and section 151 officer - alongside an in-depth list of their key responsibilities.

It also includes commentary on the duties of the three officers, while also pointing readers to other useful resources, such as the Code of Practice on Good Governance for Statutory Officers published in 2024 by CIPFA, Solace and LLG.

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Describing the new document, the three organisations said the short joint guide provides a "concise, structured, and clear outline of the three 'Golden Triangle' officer roles to help maximise transparency, clarity, and understanding around professional duties at a time of major change within local government".

It added: "So, whether you are an experienced individual or in the earlier stages of your career, we hope this guide.... will be a useful tool in deepening knowledge of a key part of the local government ecosystem and increasing understanding between its different parts."

Commenting on the Code, Paul Turner, President of LLG, said: "We are delighted to present this guide, designed to help everyone in the local government sector understand the three key roles of the Monitoring Officer, Head of Paid Service, and Section 151 Officer.

"In particular, the role of the Monitoring Officer is not well-defined and has, at times, been misunderstood. The guide highlights the breadth and significance of the role and the crucial interplay between these three statutory positions — the 'golden triangle' at the heart of effective local government."

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Deborah Evans, Chief Executive of LLG, meanwhile said that while those working in law and governance understand the role of the monitoring officer, "for many staff and elected members it remains something of a mystery".

The new guide "lifts the veil, setting out not only what a Monitoring Officer does to ensure a council remains fit, decent, and legal – but also why their work is essential", she added.

Solace President Robin Tuddenham said: "As we reorganise and reshape councils in the context of devolution and public sector reform, while also navigating sustained resource pressures and increased complexity of need, this timely guide is designed for all staff and elected members to help everyone better understand the requirements of these roles and how, together, we can deliver better outcomes for our communities."

Iain Murray, Director of Public Financial Management at CIPFA, said: “Chief financial officers play a vital role in safeguarding local government finances and serving the best interests of citizens. This guide is a timely and highly practical reminder of how they function within the broader council governance framework. It will help deepen knowledge and understanding of how the CFO role intersects and aligns that of the Head of Paid Service and Monitoring Officer to provide effective and ethical leadership across the whole authority.”

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