Anthony Brand, Principal Researcher
Opendemocracy.net
Stuart Weir’s piece in this column (The iron rule of the central executive, Apr 12 2008) rightly argued that a local government ruled through central dictat will not drive interest in local democracy. Nor will it produce the innovative, personalised services that 21st Century citizens deserve.
Few people would disagree that local […]

Anna Turley
Guardian.co.uk
Timing the London mayoral elections to coincide with the local council elections taking place throughout the country on May 1 has thrown these contests into sharp relief.
On the one hand, there’s a high-profile media frenzy in London. Few cannot be aware they should be at their local polling station on that day to […]

Chris Leslie, Director, NLGN
Public Finance
What skills will tomorrow’s council chief executives require to face the vast policy operational challenges of running a modern local authority? With some two million council staff now representing the largest sector of the UK’s workforce and with ever greater demands being made on local public services across the country, a […]

Chris Leslie, Director, NLGN
Public Servant
Subtly and without great fanfare there are changes afoot in the Government’s approach to public service reform. Alastair Darling’s first Budget speech did not dwell on the details but the associated Red Book papers outlined a quickening of pace towards the goals of value for money and policy creativity. The Prime […]