Managers and Leaders of local councils grappling with a huge modernisation agenda have been urged to lift their heads above the current changes in order to prepare for even greater demands ahead.The Local Government Association, which represents local authorities, is devoting a large part of its annual conference in Bournemouth this week to promoting its ‘futureswork’ – a range of policy work conducted in collaboration with people from business, voluntary and academic communities – which predicts society’s demands ten years from now.

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The expected steady growth in influence of the new regional development agencies has been confirmed with the proposals to give them even greater powers.The one-year old agencies, whose job is to oversee the economic regeneration of the regions of England, have been asked to provide strategic leadership on regional economic development, work to increase prosperity in the regions and seek a more balanced growth between and within regions.

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