Total Place to radically reform local services

A new report published today sets out a radical transformation to the way public services will be delivered in future.

Budget 2010 set out how key public service priorities will be protected while reducing the deficit. Total Place shows how this can be delivered in practice through a fundamental shift in the way public services are delivered that has never been attempted before.

For the first time all local spending from across all local agencies is being looked as a whole to relentlessly focus on designing services around the needs of the customer and cutting out waste and duplication, ensuring taxpayers money is being used effectively.

The Total Place report published today sets out the sweeping changes being introduced following wide-ranging testing of the approach in 13 pilot areas. The report presents a series of commitments that will give greater freedoms and flexibilities to support a new relationship between the Government and places.

The new ways of working pioneered by the pilots will be replicated in all areas across England; the best performing authorities will be supported to go further and faster with new far reaching freedoms through a 'single offer', and a much wider group of local authorities and their partners will be encouraged to pioneer new working in policy areas where they are strongest via 'devolved responsibility'.

This work will be supported through stronger leadership at regional, sub-regional and local levels to deliver the total place principles.