Whilst theories abound in relation to the individual nature of leadership traits and characteristics and contingencies in both traditional leadership theory (for example, stogdill 1974) and more contemporary research such as Kotter (2003) , Collins (2001) and Grint (2000,2005) there is limited literature on "collective leadership" , which is both horizontal (shared between organisations) and vertical (distributed throughout each organisation) although both these dimensions are recognised within the public policy process more generally (Hill 2005) and in relation to accountability (Considine 2002)