About the LGA/HSC future of local services project (2008)
From Future of Local Services to the Public
Background to the Local Government Futures project
British politics is grappling with the challenge of adapting a 20th century model of the state to meet the aspirations and requirements of 21st century citizens. To be effective local councils and local services must understand and respond to the local opportunities and challenges arising from trends such as new technologies, a mobile population and demographic changes that place different, new, and in many cases increasing demands on services. Environmental pressures increasingly demand radical action with huge implications for councils and local services, ranging from managing the impact of increased flooding, fostering energy efficient housing or seeking behaviour change. And all of these drivers of change manifest themselves differently in different places.
These challenges have short-term dimensions, and many councils are already dealing with them well. However planning infra-structure and designing services to be sustainable and resilient to changing needs and demand increasingly dictates a need to take a view of the future over 10 - 15 year, and longer, horizons. This is where this project can help. For example: what will be the consequences of building a new bridge across the Thames, upon adjacent communities, their environments and their economies as well as the wider London economy and transport system?; what should we assume about schools and education provision?; how do we provide for a substantially increased population of people over 75 and do so in ways that respect peoples dignity?; how will new technologies help?; how do we meet housing needs in ways that are compatible with environmental limits and what will those limits and capacities look like?; what might drive the shape of local democracy and citizen empowerment and the balance between the roles of public, private and third sector?
The wiki provides an opportunity for stakeholders from local government, Communities and Local Government, the government’s strategy units and service departments and other stakeholders in the voluntary and community sector and private sector to contribute and develop their views on how local public services might develop over the next ten to twenty years. The wiki provides an online forum for sharing resources and intelligence that is truly from the bottom-up and not cascaded from the top-down potentially, missing examples of exciting and innovative research and practice.
The wiki is one strand of a joint project (see below) that that the Outsights/Ipsos MORI Partnership conducted for the LGA and DIUS's Horizon Scanning Centre (part of central government's Foresight Team) on the Future of Local Services to the Public. The wider project includes interviews and discussion groups with key stakeholders and a survey of local authorities, and a key stakeholder Summit workshop that was held on the 4th September. A report was produced in Autumn 2008 and the findings will then be further disseminated and discussed through conferences and other events.
The wiki provides the perfect opportunity to share this research and thinking among peers. We will add issues identified in the interviews, workshops, survey and summit to foster discussion and ideas, but want this to be an ongoing resource after the project finishes.
Sources so far
Researchers from Outsights/Ipsos MORI and the LGA, along with the project steering group partners from across central and local government, have made a start gathering current futures research that has direct policy implications at the local level. This is a first look which we expect to grow and develop with your contributions. Please refer to the 'themes and topics' menu above which lists the coverage of the documents, ideas and evidence amassed so far.
The Future of Local Services to the public: 2008 Project work
More information about the project will be added here upon publication of the report
