Efficiency and Better Services

Like other parts of the public sector, local government has been transforming its services both to better meet the needs of local residents and businesses and also to deliver more efficiency gains.

Exploiting the opportunities offered by new technologies is one way councils have been improving the delivery of many services whether at the customer interface or in the back office.

Smarter procurement practices and initiatives such as setting up services shared between authorities are also delivering improvements. In future local government's commissioning role will expand and create local markets for services.

We provide support for efficiency and improvement through Regional Centres of Excellence and Improvement Partnerships.

The Business Improvement Package (external link) brings together a range of resources for councils to draw on in improving service delivery and value for money.

The Beacon Scheme recognises good practice in local authorities and aims to spread it more widely.