There is little empirical research on how change champions operate in practice; even less on how they operate in elected authorities, and no research to date on their role in the management of change in local government in Northern Ireland. The initial aim of this research was therefore to examine; the roles, skills, resistance encountered, and the development needs of the change champions, in order to develop an improvement agenda and best practice recommendations. During the research process additional issues emerged about the culture of local government, its readiness for change and the particular problems faced by change champions operating in a political environment.