The report from the New Local Government Network calls on the local government
community to learn from the innovative work of leading councils, and embrace the
available opportunities for greater local devolution as a means of having a real
impact on the governance of local communities. The report is the outcome of an
ODPM supported field study into how Birmingham, Wakefield and West Sussex
councils are attempting to decentralise locally.

Read more on COUNCILS EMBRACING LOCALISM…

A leading academic in the field of local government structures says that
overview and scrutiny has tremendous potential to transform the quality of local
democracy. Steve Leach, Professor of Local Government at De Montfort University
in Leicester, was commenting on the publication of a five-year review of the
function.

Read more on SCRUTINY CAN TRANSFORM LOCAL DEMOCRACY SAYS ACADEMIC…

A leading academic in the field of local government structures says that overview and scrutiny has tremendous potential to transform the quality of local democracy. Steve Leach, from Professor of Local Government at De Montfort University in Leicester, was commenting as a five-year review of the function was published.He has written ‘Practice, Progress and Potential – an assessment of the local government overview and scrutiny function’ on behalf of the Centre for Public Scrutiny. The paper evaluates the effectiveness of the scrutiny the function since its introduction under the Local Government Act 2000.

Read more on SCRUTINY CAN TRANSFORM LOCAL DEMOCRACY SAYS ACADEMIC…