Furthering the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions' understanding of attitudes towards public services, particularly transport and housing. The DSS modern service team have used the findings from the panel to underpin their plans for modernising service delivery in the future. We have carried out an initial assessment of the key policy lessons to emerge from both waves of research. The Modernising Government White Paper is addressing these concerns. People's satisfaction with individual public services increases in proportion to how well a service keeps them informed about what it does.
Openness is key to public satisfaction.
There is significant support for local services to become more directly responsive. This ties in with the government's emphasis on consultation and participation, and with the idea for directly elected mayors. Attitudes towards new technology are mixed. There is also a mis-match between those more attuned to the potential for electronic government and those who make most use of public services. There is strong support from the public for one-stop shops.