Laura Bunt - 02.07.2009
Why not promote a greater role for citizens and communities in other public services - not just as consumers but as partners?
The Building Britain's Future paper launched this week sets out some key themes for public service reform in the coming year: a move away from top-down targets; greater autonomy for professionals to innovate; and more personalised, responsive services.
One promising example is giving communities more power to direct local policing. Giving people more of a say on how to keep their neighbourhoods safe and how criminals give back to society points to the role that communities can play in improving public services and producing better outcomes.
So why not promote a greater role for citizens and communities in other public services - not just as consumers but as partners? The challenges we face are real and urgent. We cannot reserve radical solutions for the longer term.
The Conservatives have already argued that the UK's financial constraints don't figure highly enough in Labour public service plans. Unlocking new resources, harnessing the experience and ingenuity of frontline staff and drawing on the insights of citizens are the practicalities we need to grasp now.
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