OVERVIEW

The government wants to redesign how our public services are run to make them more cost-effective. The decentralisation of powers heralded by the Localism Bill means that local authorities must engage with communities, social enterprise and the private sector more effectively. The Chancellor has asked councils to question whether non-essential services can be provided by a third party, thus helping to sustain services and reduce costs.

Outsourcing can achieve real results for the public sector. With town halls facing tough choices about which services to keep, contracting some out to the private sector can be an efficient and effective option. The social enterprise movement can also help councils to deliver innovative and pioneering services. Value is key here; quick, short-term contracts, going for the lowest price, are not the answer.

The Localism Bill has emphasised the need to reshape public services, opening the government up to public scrutiny and strengthening accountability to local people. The reform agenda presents a great challenge for local authorities, but also an opportunity to change things for the better, addressing the significant gap between what people want and what local services can currently deliver. To work, reform must be based on long-term and strategic principles, and around the needs of local people. Engaging and empowering the community, breaking down the barriers between local government and the taxpayer, is essential in ensuring the right changes are made. The Big Society is all about giving citizens and local government the power to build the Britain they want.

There is a strong commitment to the devolution of services from Whitehall to localities. The era of top-down, centralised, target-driven public sector assessments may be history, but local authorities must still prove to the taxpayer that they are working efficiently and effectively. Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Eric Pickles, who will provide the keynote address at the conference, has said: "I believe it is possible to cut significant sums out of local authorities by simply improving the way local authorities operate." There are examples all over the country of councils that have done just that, offering many excellent lessons to be learned.

Redesigning Local Services: change for the better will look carefully at governance, management, design and the implications of a radical change in how local services are delivered. With a programme of excellent speakers, including case studies from innovative councils, this is an essential event for all local authorities.