An independent inquiry has recommended 54 improvements to the way the output and productivity of public services are measured. Sir Tony Atkinson, who undertook the study at the request of the National Statistician, Len Cook, said the need for public accountability meant there had to be measures of what is achieved by spending on public services.He said it could not simply be assumed that outputs equal inputs in such a major part of the economy, and he stressed the importance of a principled approach to measurement of output and productivity. Many of the recommendations, he said, set out a clear process for documentation, expert review and transparency, so that development work is made public and the limits of official measures are clearly understood.

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People in Britain value parks as community assets in the same way that they regard good neighbourhood schools, according to a study released today. It has been produced by the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment, which says it will use the findings to advise senior council staff and other people responsible for parks.The study, ‘Parks and Squares: who cares?’ lists the top ten things people like and dislike about parks. It is supported by new research from MORI showing that 91 per cent of people believe public parks and open spaces improve their quality of life and that 74 per cent believe being able to use a park is important to their general health.

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The Local Government Association calls for a strengthening of local leadership in this new policy document. It argues that a ‘one size fits all’ approach to local government will not work, and calls for greater freedom for councils to determine, in consultation with local communities, what arrangements best suit local circumstances. The Association wants neighbourhood committees with real powers, a stronger local leadership role for council leaders and mayors, more inclusive processes for local decision-making and more training and support for the representative role of councillors.To give real meaning to local governance, the LGA calls for a major decentralisation to give councils real autonomy, as well as for key public services and agencies to be transferred to local democratic leadership, for a reform of local taxation, streamlined inspection and an equal partnership between local and central government.

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