Place-shaping: a shared ambition for the future of local government Final Report March 2007 Sir Michael Lyons Place-shaping: a shared ambition for the future of local government Final Report Sir Michael Lyons March 2007 London: The Stationery Office £50.00 © Crown copyright 2007 The text in this document (excluding the Royal Coat of Arms and departmental logos) may be reproduced free of charge in any format or medium providing that it is reproduced accurately and not used in a misleading context. The material must be acknowledged as Crown copyright and the title of the document specified. Any enquiries relating to the copyright in this document should be sent to: Office of Public Sector Information Information Policy Team St Clements House 2-16 Colegate Norwich NR3 1BQ Fax: 01603 723000 e-mail:
[email protected] Lyons Inquiry contacts This document can be found on the Lyons Inquiry website at: www.lyonsinquiry.org.uk The Lyons Inquiry website will be transferred at a later date to the National Archives website at: www.nationalarchives.gov.uk Printed on at least 75% recycled paper. When you have finished with it please recycle it again. ISBN: 978-0-11-989854-5 PU041 Printed by The Stationery Office 03/07 361408 Thanks go to Chelmsford Borough Council, Nottingham City Council, Southampton City Council, the London Borough of Tower Hamlets and Trafford Council for supplying some of the images used on the cover of this document. Preface From the beginning of this Inquiry in the autumn of 2004, I have taken the view that questions about local government taxation and the funding of local services are not simply matters for technical analysis, but need instead to be considered in a wider context.