This report by the New Local Government Network, the Local Government Association, and the Institute for Public Policy Research is the culmination of a joint venture between the three organisations. It argues that central government should share increased public service burden and learn to trust local government. by forging a new relationship. The report draws together reflections on four policy areas – community leadership, democratic renewal, transforming public services and central-local relations. It identifies how change can be brought about.Published by New Local Government Network www.nlgn.org.uk

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Government departments have been told by Sir John Bourne, the Comptroller and Auditor General to get a grip on corporate governance and risk management. He is Parliament’s watchdog for all government departments and a wide range of other public sector bodies.Corporate governance in government is going through an evolutionary process. The need for top management to steer the organization was first recognized in a report from the Treasury in 1986. As a result of the Cadbury Committee report in 1992 about the role of board members in the private sector and the establishment of audit committees, departments tightened up financial controls. Following the Turnbull Committee report in 1999 recommending that in the private sector the board should be responsible for all systems of internal control, the Treasury issued guidelines on implementing the recommendations in central government.

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The first Post Office to pilot the one stop Government shop programme has opened its doors in Leicester. The ‘Start Here’ touchscreen kiosk can be used by customers to gain access to information ranging from advice on benefits, health and education to information on housing, care and crime. The pilot, which will be funded by 25 million pounds from the Department of Trade and Industry, will be extended to all 287 Post Offices in Leicestershire and Rutland in the next few months. If the pilot demonstrates that the problems of developing the one stop shop can be overcome and the public respond, the service will be progressively extended to all the 18,500 retail outlets.The programme evolved from a report by the Performance and Innovation Unit in the Cabinet Office which recommended that postmasters should become Government General Practitioners with a role, similar to a medical GP. They will offer low level advice and information and help customers to carry out a range of transactions such as paying council tax. Some 28 million people use post office services each week.

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