Publication launch event & one day conference: ‘Making Choices: How Can Choice Improve Local Public Services?’

March 10, 2004

Tuesday 16th March 2004 – Central London

Rt Hon Nick Raynsford MP, Minister for Local and Regional Government, ODPM
Dr Wendy Thomson, Prime Minister’s Adviser, Office of Public Services Reform
Professor Julian Le Grand, Advisor to the Prime Minister
Ben Page, Director, MORI Research Institute
Stuart Etherington, Chief Executive, NCVO
Dr Adam Lent, Author of Making Choices: how can choice improve local public services?

With the Government making clear that a move to increase user choice as the crux of its public service reform agenda, this conference will see the launch of the New Local Government Network’s (NLGN) major new report Making Choices: how can choice improve local public services?

Supported by, among others, ODPM, the Office of Public Service Reform at the Cabinet Office, the Audit Commission, NCVO and PricewaterhouseCoopers – the report by independent policy consultant, Dr Adam Lent and Natalie Arend of NLGN is based on new research conducted during the past 12 months in local authorities across the UK.

Hosted by NLGN, the one-day conference to launch the report will consider a range of best practice examples of how choice is being delivered locally and discuss the potential barriers – particularly concerning issues of equity in local services. In line with the findings of the report, conference sessions will also consider where and how ‘enhanced choice’ might be appropriate.

Other speakers at the conference include:
Matthew Warburton, Head of Futures, LGA; Catherine Staite, Head of User Focus, Audit Commission; Robin Newby, Business Development Manager, LB Newham; Ged Fitzgerald, Chief Executive, Sunderland CC; Ed Straw, Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers; and Roger Sinden, Head of Community Care, Essex CC and Warren Hatter, Head of Research, NLGN.

All NLGN press enquiries to Ian Parker on 020 7357 0116 / ian@nlgn.org.uk

Notes:
Making Choices: how can choice improve public services? by Dr Adam Lent and Natalie Arend is available price £26.25 (inc p+p) from network@nlgn.org.uk or 020 7357 0152.


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