02 February 2007
Over half of the British public would support an extensive devolution of powers from Whitehall to local bodies, a study has found.
Over 54% of respondents to research by pollster Ipsos Mori, commissioned by consultancy Ernst & Young, said that they 'would support the control of some services run by central government being transferred to their local council'.
The reason given by many was 'a perception that local politicians listen to their concerns more closely than government', the poll, published on January 26, states.
Ernst & Young has therefore suggested that Britain's public bodies, particularly at local level, should focus more on their service commissioning role — contracting out specialist services to private and voluntary sector delivery bodies, in which the firm claims the public has more trust.
Craig Baker, government services partner at E&Y and author of its follow-up report on commissioning, said: 'Commissioning is an important catalyst to stimulate the changes required to give customers a stronger voice and better services.'
PFfeb2007
