By Steve LeachThe Local Government Act 2000 heralds the most radical departure from a system of business management that has remained relatively unchanged for over a century within local government. New structures and methods of working are being introduced in an effort to deliver more efficient and responsive decision-making. The division between executive and scrutiny responsibilities is intended to facilitate more clear, visible and accountable leadership, whilst providing new mechanisms to properly scrutinise decision making in a less partisan political environment. The change will challenge many established cultures and already some of the early experiments have raised concerns about the role of ‘backbench’ councilors, ‘secret cabinets’ and access to information. The booklet is intended to guide the reader through some of the choices and dilemmas that local authorities will face as they implement these changes.
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