Local Government Minister Hilary Atkinson has invited the Local Government association to take part in a radical new look at funding local spending. The outcome will be a new framework for local government finance. She said: ” Getting a fair and just finance system for local government is absolutely vital if we are to have a renewed and vigorous local democracy. 

Sir Herbert Laming, Chief Inspector of Social Services, calls for stronger management in his annual report. Social Services departments provide for children and old people and for those of all ages who are disabled in some way. The cost of services has risen from £4b in 1991/92 to almost £8b in 1996/97.The issues for social services managers is how to improve quality of service when legislation has brought additional responsibilities and the population is ageing and making greater demands. 

Quangos are, reputedly, the weakest area of government, but among the big spenders. One of the reason behind this view is their low visibility, which breeds suspicion. The Government’s approach to re-inventing government in quangoland has now become clear with the publication of the Scottish and Welsh Devolution White Papers and the statement by Dr David Clark, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on unelected public bodies.Reform of the quango structure is top of the reform agenda. 

The concern expressed in many quarters about appointments to Quango Boards and NHS bodies has been allayed by the Second Report of the Commissioner for Public Appointments. The widespread belief that these appointments are not made on merit, but on political favour, have been conclusively disproved. The Report for the year ending in March 1997 shows that only 10.3% of appointees to the 1753 posts, declared political activity in the last 5 years. 

Approval by Customs and Excise of payment card VAT accounting arrangements is a major step towards electronic government services. AMEX and VISA can now offer suppliers a system that produces an electronic file containing as much detail as a paper invoice. This eliminates a whole chain of paperwork. Development work started two years ago and trials in the last three months have convinced Customs that the system is reliable.Customs were concerned that there is a clearly identifiable audit trail. 

Gavin Strang, Minister for Transport, announced the Government’s commitment to seek an integrated transport policy. He said: “In the coming months we will be looking to develop a proper integrated transport policy for the UK”. Dr Strang warned that to continue as we are is no longer an option: “Many of our towns and cities are creaking at the seams, and something must be done. 

The power of governments to influence and deliver policies is under threat from many directions. In recent years public support for government has declined world wide. Levels of trust have fallen, doubts have been expressed about standards of accountability and a feeling has grown that governments are becoming more remote from people. 

The final contract for building the Sir John Colfox School, Bridport in Dorset is likely to be signed within a matter of days. Dorset County Council have reached agreement with their private sector partner, Jarvis plc, in just over one year. Building is due to start next month.This is the first new school to be built through a public and private sector partnership under the Private Finance Initiative (PFI). It also has the distinction of being the first local authority PFI project. 

Advocates of freedom of information who were disappointed that a Bill did not find a place in the current programme were further depressed by slippage in the White Paper timetable. The announcement that publication of the White Paper had slipped from before to after the Summer recess of Parliament caused concern and allegations of conspiracy. It was alleged that senior civil servants were seeking to water down the draft White Paper by widening and extending the escape clauses. 

The Nolan investigation into standards in local government found that there is no fundamental malaise. What they did find was a lack of clarity about standards, which Lord Nolan said could lead to wrongdoing.