By Richard Johnstone | 17 October 2013
More than half of senior council leaders fear that local government does not have the time or resources to undertake the reforms demanded by Whitehall funding cuts, a poll has found.
A survey by the Localis think-tank found that 56% of the 80 council leaders and chief executives questioned about service reform said ‘time and capacity’ was the biggest barrier to making service improvements.
In addition, half said cost and budget pressures were hindering the necessary changes, and the same proportion felt the culture of key partner organisations was also a problem.
The Changing places report, undertaken by Localis in partnership with Civica, found the senior figures viewed town halls as most adept at developing ways to improve economic development, waste and refuse, and back-office services.
However, they warned councils were struggling to innovate and improve in the provision of adult and children’s social care services, and highway maintenance.
Nearly two-thirds of those polled (65%) said senior figures such as council leaders and chief executives were vital to implementing the reforms needed to deal with government cuts.
Around 80% agreed it was the collective responsibility of councils and other local organisations to stimulate and sustain innovation in their own sector. By contrast, less than half (48%) thought the government’s Public Service Transformation Network, which is intended to spread best practice from the ‘whole place' Community Budget pilots, was the most useful way to support service improvement.
Steven Howell, Localis’senior policy and communication officer, said councils were undertaking a range of reforms in response to the twin challenge of reducing budgets and a changing society.
‘While there are plenty of good news stories, local government needs to do its bit to highlight the barriers, then work with partners to bust them,’ he said. ‘More than ever before, partnership and collaboration will be the building blocks of local public services in the future.’
