This Local Government Association booklet gives an insight into what makes local government tick. Over 21,000 elected councilors serve on 410 councils. The average age of a councilor is 57 and one third are in retirement. Performance is improving in 80% of councils, 61 of which have signed up to local public service agreements. All but two of the remaining eligible councils have expressed an interest to negotiate local agreements. 

Companies bidding for contracts funded through the public finance initiative will now have to agree to a 50/50 sharing with the public sector client of any gains from cheaper finance secured after the contract has started. This follows an investigation by the National Audit Office which revealed that 61% of PFI contracts did not have contractual arrangements to share refinancing gains. 

The Office of the e-Envoy is probing the potential of digital TV to deliver public services and wants to hear how others see the potential. Some 38% of households already have digital TV and this figure is expected to rise to 60-70% by 2005.