Phil Woolas, Minister for Local Government, in a speech to the LGA conference, outlined the framework for performance assessment when the Comprehensive Performance Assessment regime is replaced and double devolution from Whitehall to Town Hall and on to the community is introduced.The new performance framework will provide for a better balance of pressures and accountability from bottom up with service users and citizens and top down from central government. Double devolution requires that where customers can control the quality of services, they should do so. People should have clear expectations of delivery, and the means of challenge or change when they are not met. There will also need to be more peer accountability through local partners and the Local Strategic Partnerships. Both elements reduce the need for top-down pressures in the forms of targets, multiple information requests and inspection.
Just a month before new charges and reforms come into effect in dental services in England a report out today shows patients are worried that they will not have access to a National Health Service dentist and they doubt the Government can deliver on its promises for the service.The research by the consumer organisation, Which?, has uncovered a strong lack of trust in the Government over plans for dental care and the organisation is calling for close monitoring of the effect of the changes in the first few months to see how effective they are.
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The relationship between local authorities and communities and groups involved in grass roots campaigns is to be examined at a conference in Bristol next week which will look at whether or not councils should encourage such campaigns or if by doing so they simply create sticks with which they can be beaten.The event, organised by the e-Democracy team at Bristol City Council will attempt to answer that question and will debate other issues surrounding dialogue between local authorities and communities. Interactive voting will be used at the beginning and end of the conference to see if their views have been changed by what they hear.
Read more on CONFERENCE CONSIDERS COUNCILS’ RELATIONSHIPS WITH CAMPAIGNERS…