DCLG: Much more can be done to make efficiency savings

A Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) spokesperson comments on the New Local Government Network’s report on back-room office savings:

“This timely report highlights that far more can be done to deliver savings to local taxpayers from the sharing of services. It rightly highlights that areas like revenue and benefits are ripe for shared services, and that councils don’t have to be physically next door to each other to realise these savings. Policy decisions should be made locally by elected representatives. But councils should now be asking themselves whether we really need 320 separate business rate billing authorities across the country.

“The government is also moving ahead with Community Budgets, which will open up the scope for the innovative integration of cross-cutting frontline services between different types of local public authority.”