We look forward to it being adopted for future initiatives such as the Urban and Rural White Papers and forthcoming local government legislation. The White Paper outlines the Government's ambitions to change the public service in Britain to make for better, modernised government. The LGA intends to work with the Government and others in pursuit of these objectives in order to help achieve a secure and stable future for the public sector in Britain. The White Paper provides a vision of modernised government which makes life better for people. It values the role of local government, and the LGA welcomes the spirit of partnership which has characterised the Government's approach to the process of drafting this White Paper.
Local government shares the vision of citizen centred services which best meet people's needs.
We are already pursuing a modernising agenda for reform and improvement in local government and the proposals set out to modernise government more widely are to be welcomed. This section of the White Paper offers a valuable analysis of the current limitations of the way in which central government makes policy. We welcome the adoption of peer review for government departments and the promise of less central regulation. In implementing the White Paper, however, the LGA will expect to see more emphasis on the integration of locally agreed policy objectives into the overall policy-making process. The challenge will be for central, local and regional government to link together more effectively.