At a time when we need the public engaged in a debate about reshaping local public services, most people are busy trying to work out whose fault all of this is. This is going to hold back innovation and make the impact of the cuts even worse.
Simon Parker and James Mole, Local Government Chronicle

Can shared services help local authorities meet the spending challenge? Coalition rhetoric implies this is a relatively simple case of shared back-offices across councils. But its not that simple.
Tom Symons, eGov Monitor

There is strong evidence to show there is public support for charging for certain services, but only if people believe the services provide good value.
Nick Hope, The MJ

Can shared services help save the front line from cuts? It depends on the approach taken
Simon Parker, Director, NLGN
Public Finance

How many times have we heard the cry for greater financial freedom for councils to liberate them from central government control? How many finance reviews have been announced to great fanfare only to lie gathering dust in Whitehall drawers?
Anna Turley, Deputy Director, NLGN
Guardian.co.uk

On the face of it, the removal of top-down planning is good news for councils and communities, but if they now find themselves at loggerheads, investment could dry up Nigel Keohane, Head or Research, NLGN
The House Magazine

A majority of the public think charging is fair as long as the money is used to protect other services. In other words, if higher fees help to keep the local leisure centre or library open, the public might back a more ‘pay as you go’ approach.
Simon Parker, Director, NLGN
The Times

The Localism Bill is an attempt to reverse “decades of increasing central government control”, by “cutting thousands of central targets, stripping away red tape and abolishing the burdensome inspection regime run by the Audit Commission.
Nigel Keohane & Olivier Roth, eGov Monitor