Party politics in local government are to be rehabilitated to show that political activity is essential to democracy. New sets of powers for local authorities to promote democracy have been announced in a move to ensure that councils are vibrant hubs of democracy and that they overcome the image of being units of local administration. 

The new Local Transport Bill, which is due to gain Royal Assent in the summer, gives councils new powers to improve the quality of local bus services. Research published by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation highlights the opportunities for councils to make a difference for poorer communities.
The study looked at transport projects in deprived areas in Leicester, West Cornwall, West Midlands and Greater Manchester. 

Central and local government and the NHS are at the bottom of the league table for marketing multi-channels according to a survey by Marketing UK sponsored by CDMS.
Public bodies have invested heavily in developing new access channels for their services, particularly by providing online facilities to allow customers to download information, submit forms and carry out financial transactions. There has only been a modest investment in encouraging people to use the new channels.