Local authorities have been ordered to release details of money paid to brokers by investment managers on behalf of council employees’ pension funds. In what he called ‘a landmark ruling’ the Information Commissioner, Richard Thomas, decided there was a strong public interest in releasing the information.
He has now issued 36 decision notices, covering 32 local authorities, for disclosure of commission payments under the Freedom of Information Act. 

Partnership working is key to the success of attempts to improve rural services, according to the results of a Government programme published by Defra. It also shows that local councils which show leadership and innovation play an important role in finding ways to deliver better services.
Nine local authorities have been involved in the Rural Delivery Pathfinder programme, working in eight projects to build on improvements already being made. 

By David M. Allen,
Success and failure are closely inter-related, but to achieve continuous improvement there must be a focus on failing. There is a need to argue with success and not to believe that things are working as well as they could. It’s important to seek out evidence of failure, obsessively. Listen to customers.