Devolution and local governments’ frontline

So far, frontline services have been largely absent from the devolution debate.

Recognising this gap, the Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE) recently commissioned CLES to investigate the impact of devolution on frontline services. Through a detailed analysis of devolution deals, existing literature from the policy sphere, a survey of APSE’s membership base and conversations with a series of senior officers and council leaders we were able to evidence that devolution has concentrated on strategic level issues, with a widespread lack of consideration about how frontline services are impacted.

Paul O’Brien, the Chief Executive of APSE and Victoria Bettany, Senior Researcher at CLES explore the findings from the research and what this means for places with and without a devolution deal in an article published in the MJ this week.

APSE will be hosting a fringe event around this research ‘Devolution and local governments’ frontline: the case for involving council services’ at the Labour Party Conference in Brighton on Monday the 25^th of September (more details below). Speakers include our own Victoria Bettany, Paul O’Brien from APSE and Cllr Lewis Herbert, the leader of Cambridge County Council. If you’d like to come along please email Mo Baines at mbaines@apse.org.uk or text Mo on 07971843515 to confirm your place.

APSE fringe event at the Labour Party Conference

‘Devolution and local governments’ frontline: the case for involving council services’

19.00 for 19.30 – 21.30 (Evening Dinner provided)

Cellar Suite, Old Ship Hotel, King’s Road, Brighton, BN1 1NR

The full report is available to download for free from APSE’s website here.