CLES Policy Priorities 2012
The last eighteen months has seen policy making and public service reform take place at an unprecedented pace and scale. Driven by the need to tackle a growing national debt and a desire to stimulate economic growth, the Coalition Government has adopted a twin approach to policy. On the one hand, there have been drastic cuts to service provision and government spending designed to reduce debt and weasel out wastage and bureaucracy; whilst on the other hand, there has been a drive to stimulate economic growth and create jobs through partnerships and mechanisms, such as Local Economic Partnerships and Enterprise Zones.
Economic development, regeneration and local governance, has seen significant changes in the way in which policy, strategy and delivery activity is designed, developed and ultimately rolled out. This bulletin outlines some of the likely repercussions for policy makers and deliverers in local government and the voluntary and community sector.