21 March 2008
Ministers have released funds to help councils collaborate to deliver even greater efficiencies.
Local government minister John Healey announced funding allocations totalling £185m for council-led regional improvement and efficiency partnerships. These will support councils to pioneer ways of transforming and improving services, cutting waste and securing the £5bn annual efficiency gains now expected of them by 2010/11.
Healey also praised councils for their progress on efficiency. Local authorities are on course to deliver efficiency gains of £4.2bn this year — ahead of their £3bn target. 'It shows what can be achieved when authorities rethink how they work and pursue innovative ideas,' the minister said.
Healey also published a prospectus that draws together the improvement support available from central and local government.
David Shakespeare, chair of the Local Government's Association's improvement board, said: 'Local authorities need to access the right support at the right time by working together on improvement and efficiency.'
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