Public services face major new pressures

26 Jul 07
Demographic and economic forces will force major changes to the nature and scope of public services over the next 20 years, research shows.

27 July 2007

Demographic and economic forces will force major changes to the nature and scope of public services over the next 20 years, research shows.

A study, conducted by CIPFA in conjunction with a range of public and private bodies, suggests that pressures such as the ageing population, globalisation and increased migration will pose new challenges for frontline services.

The future of services to the public, published on July 19, calls for a frank discussion about what this will mean in terms of what citizens expect from services and the level of taxation they will accept to fund them.

'There needs to be a consensus on personal versus state responsibility, led by an honest debate over trade-offs,' the report says. 'These trade-offs will involve levels of tax versus the scope and levels of service – for example, targeted or universal provision.'

Speaking at a debate to launch the report, CIPFA chief executive Steve Freer said that moves towards a more diverse range of service providers meant the debate would have 'to shift from one about public services to one about services to the public'.

He cautioned that everyone in the sector would have to brace themselves for the rapid pace of change seen in recent years to continue and perhaps even accelerate in the years ahead.

'The recent past has been a period of very significant change for public service organisations; our research suggests that there are even more powerful forces for change downstream,' Freer said.

'This report is a serious and thoughtful study of the challenges and opportunities that face the providers and consumers of our public services over the next 20 years.'

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