“Ministers should take the lead in healing the divides of election hustings”, says think tank Reacting to today’s local election results, Simon Parker, Director of localism think tank the New Local Government Network (NLGN) said: “The cocktail of Coalition Government and Labour gains is likely to mean that political tensions rise even further over the [...]

The financial situation means that public services have to develop a new relationship with citizens, whether that is to discuss which functions to cut back or, more positively, to find new ways to engage people in shaping their local areas. Behaviour change techniques are likely to be a very important part of local government’s toolkit over the coming years. These techniques are not new – councils have tried to discourage smoking and fatty foods for a generation – but they now need to be applied to all services in more ambitious and radical ways. NLGN examines the potential for implementing such techniques and the benefits that can accrue when done correctly.

As Communities Minister Grant Shapps launches plans for the future of local government audit, a new report from localism think tank the New Local Government Network (NLGN), challenges government to avoid a dangerous decline in public trust in councils by letting citizens take the lead in auditing local government finances. Based on extensive research across [...]

Localism Think Tank the New Local Government Network (NLGN) has welcomed the creation of Enterprise Zones, ‘land auctions’ and investment in green infrastructure announced in today’s Budget. However it also warned that to truly improve the financial future for councils, Government must make good on its promise to create a stable financial footing for councils [...]

NLGN Media Comment NLGN says Government must avoid creating “gated business community” in declaring deprived areas ‘Enterprise Zones’ In response to a report in the media this morning that the Government will this week declare the UK’s twenty most deprived areas ‘Enterprise Zones’, Senior Researcher Tom Symons at Localism Think Tank the New Local Government [...]

NLGN’s new report has revealed the tough challenge facing councils that are sharing services in order to fill the gap caused by the government’s spending cuts. But the report also warns that councils must be more innovative and ‘boldly go beyond the back office’ if sharing is to deliver significant efficiencies while protecting frontline services.

Responding to the Government’s proposal to localise business rates and give financial freedom to councils, Director of Localism think tank the New Local Government Network (NLGN) Simon Parker says more financial freedom is needed for true localism.

The New Local Government Network (NLGN) has welcomed the Prime Minister’s announcement of a presumption that services should be delivered at the lowest possible level. In doing so however, the localism think tank has warned that proper legislation is needed to ensure there is a duty on all tiers of government to devolve public service delivery to the lowest and most appropriate level.