‘WHEN ‘ TOMORROW COMES Contact Audrey Nganwa University of Birmingham The future of local public services Birmingham B15 2TT Email: [email protected] Tel: +44 (0)121 415 1058 www.birmingham.ac.uk/policycommissions College of Social Sciences University of Birmingham Edgbaston, Birmingham, Policy Commission In collaboration with Demos B15 2TT, United Kingdom www.birmingham.ac.uk 100% post-consumer waste. 5979 © University of Birmingham 2011. Printed on a recycled grade paper containing The report 5979 Policy report cover AW.indd 1 04/07/2011 14:04 WHEN TOMORROW COMES - The future of local public services 1 University of Birmingham Policy Commissions University of Birmingham Policy Commissions bring leading figures from the public, private and third sectors together with Birmingham academics to generate new thinking on contemporary issues of global, national and civic concern. Public service reform is an obvious focus for the first University of Birmingham Policy Commission because of the immediate priority given to it by the Coalition Government following the 2010 General Election, and because of its significance for service users, communities, and the public, private and third sectors. Members of the Policy Commission Policy Commission Executive - The future of local public services Professor Helen Sullivan (Professor of Deborah Cadman OBE (Chair and Government and Society, University of Chief Executive, East of England Birmingham) Development Agency) Audrey Nganwa (Policy Commissions Professor Pete Alcock (Professor of Research Associate, University of Social Policy and Administration and Birmingham) Director of the Third Sector Research Kay Withers (Senior Associate, Demos) Centre, University of Birmingham) Derrick Anderson CBE (Chief Publication Executive, Lambeth Council) Carrie Bennett and Pauline Thorington- Professor Tony Bovaird (Professor of Jones (University of Birmingham) Public Management and Policy, Institute of Local Government Studies and the Third Sector Research Centre, University of Birmingham) Rt Hon. Liam Byrne (Labour MP, Birmingham Hodge Hill) Tiger de Souza, (Knowledge and Innovation Manager v The National Young Volunteers’ Service) Andrew Dick (Chief Executive, Envision – youth charity) Professor Kathryn Ecclestone (Professor of Education and Social Inclusion, University of Birmingham) Sam Monaghan (Barnardo’s Regional Director in the Midlands) Rt Hon. James Morris (Conservative MP, Halesowen and Rowley Regis) Nick Sharman (Director of Local Government, A4e) Jane Slowey CBE (Chief Executive, Foyer Federation) Learn more about how to get involved and shape future University of Birmingham Policy Commissions here wwwwwwwww.birmingham.ac.uk/policycommissions 2 WHEN TOMORROW COMES Foreword by the Chair of the Policy Commission I am delighted to Chair the first University challenges of designing and delivering The Commissioners and I would like to of Birmingham Policy Commission into local public services in a society that acknowledge the intellect, patience, the future of local public services. Our supports individual and collective action, diplomacy and skill deployed by Helen existing blueprints for designing public social justice and local democracy. Sullivan, ably assisted by Audrey services do not meet the challenges Nganwa, in distilling hours of discussion ahead of us and we need to draw on all I am particularly proud that the Policy and lively debate into a report we can all available resources to find a way forward. Commission has championed the voices be proud of. The Policy Commission is an important of young people in its work. So often, attempt to bring together evidence of policy reformers and thinkers ignore this past attempts at reform with new untapped resource of creativity and research and thinking to generate a set of enthusiasm. Their ideas and views have policy options for the future of local shaped a proposal for a new system of public services in England. Local Public Support to replace the fragmented public service arrangements Guided by its expert Commissioners from currently in place. This system of Local the worlds of academia, policy and Public Support is built on a framework practice, the Policy Commission has that is robust yet flexible to allow for local Deborah Cadman OBE focused on what local state, civic and diversity and continued adaptation as Chair private actors can do, want to do and circumstances change. need to do in order to meet the The future of local public services 3 Acknowledgements The University of Birmingham would like The University would like to thank all of The Policy Commission would also like to to take this opportunity to acknowledge those who contributed to the work of the thank Baroness Armstrong, Philip Collins and thank the following who have Policy Commission by giving evidence, (Demos) and Jean Templeton (St Basils) contributed to the work of the Policy offering advice and participating in its for acting as panelists at the launch of Commission. workshops and other events. The Policy the report, July 2011. Commission’s work was enormously First and foremost the University would enriched by these contributions. The views expressed in this summary and like to thank the Commissioners for final report reflect the discussions of the This Policy Commission was undertaken giving their time and expertise so Policy Commission and the research that in collaboration with the think-tank generously to the Policy Commission. It informed them. They do not necessarily Demos. The University is grateful to Kay would also like to acknowledge the reflect the personal opinions of the Withers, Julia Margo and Claudia Wood particular contribution made by the Policy individuals involved. for working with us and for overseeing Commission chair, Deborah Cadman the opinion survey of young people and OBE in her skillful steering of the Policy undertaking the case studies. Commission. The Policy Commission also benefitted The University would like to extend its from the expertise and commitment of a thanks to the young people who offered range of staff at the University of their views and experiences to the Policy Birmingham. The Commissioners would Commission. It is particularly grateful to like to pay tribute to Audrey Nganwa for the National Youth Reference Group who organising and managing the logistics of acted as youth advisers to the Policy the Policy Commission so ably and for Professor Helen Sullivan Commission throughout its life. It would providing outstanding support to the University of Birmingham also like to thank Cameron Nimmo, Commissioners and the Policy Regional Manager, Envision and the Commission Executive. The young people at the four Birmingham Commissioners would like to thank Carrie schools who participated in the focus Bennett and Kirsty Mack for the huge groups organised by Envision and LVQ contribution they made to the Policy Research Ltd who undertook the opinion Commission’s work, and to acknowledge survey of young people, and the six case the specific contributions made by Jade studies who offered their expertise on Bressington, Mark Ewbank, Ben Hill, engaging young people in service Stephen Jeffares and Pauline Thorington- redesign. Jones. 4 WHEN TOMORROW COMES The future of local public services 5 Table of contents Foreword by the Chair of the Policy Commission 2 Acknowledgements 3 Executive summary 6 1 Setting the agenda 14 2 The shape of the agenda - questions, themes and issues 18 3 Activating tomorrow’s citizens - young people and public services 22 4 Influencing tomorrow’s behaviour - options and evidence 32 5 Designing tomorrow’s services - changing roles and relationships 38 6 Supporting tomorrow’s learning – success and failure in localism 43 7 Inventing tomorrow’s local government – challenges and opportunities 46 8 Local Public Support – a system for tomorrow 50 9 Making the system work - the conditions for success 54 Notes 58 Appendices 61 Appendix 1. Policy Commission working principles 61 Appendix 2. Policy Commission work programme 62 Appendix 3. Contributors to the Policy Commission 64 6 WHEN TOMORROW COMES Executive summary Setting the agenda young people’s experiences as service each others’ expertise, appropriate Building on the work of previous users, volunteers and citizens and resourcing, and a focus on lasting Governments, the Coalition has set about explored their views about public change in services and/or outcomes. a bold programme of public service services, Localism and the Big Society. It reform. From free schools to was advised by the National Youth The bad news is that young people feel neighbourhood planning, service Reference Group and worked closely that they are excluded from decision commissioning and the involvement of with Envision – a youth empowerment making and not taken seriously by people private and third sector providers - no charity. in power. Changing this perception citizen or public servant is immune to the requires decision makers’ to view young Coalition’s agenda. Driven by Localism The shape of the agenda - people differently and to develop new and the devolution of power the reform questions, themes and issues ways of engaging and working with them programme promises a dramatically The combined impact of the Coalition’s to generate positive outcomes. different system of public services. proposals could bring into being a new settlement of ‘local public services’ - with The Policy Commission’s Reform on this scale requires that we implications for