In more detail
Your local council provides a wide range of services which can include, for example:
- children's social services
- public and environmental health
- waste collection and management including recycling
- highways repairs
- social care for older people
- planning and economic development
- planning and licensing
- community centres, park and leisure facilities
- libraries and adult education classes
- museums and art galleries
- democratic services - making sure you get a vote at elections.
As the local education authority,the council still has responsibility for community schools (but not for private schools, academies or 'free schools'). Some other local services, in some places, are delivered by independent trusts etc.
Some local authorities have retained council housing. Others have been through LSVT (Large Scale Voluntary Transfer) of housing stock which is now managed by housing associations. Housing associations are independent non-profit social landlords who now provide housing in many city neighbourhoods.
Other significant public service providers in your neighbourhood are: the police; bodies that are part of the National Health Service and local health centres and GP practices; the fire and rescue service; and schools and further education colleges.
The video below is of Mark Rogers, the Chief Executive of Birmingham City Council being interviewed by Nick Booth talking about The 21st Century Public Servant and the way public service is changing:
Improving Services
All of these service providers have ways of engaging with the communities they serve. This is because they want to provide services that meet the varying needs of different communities and neighbourhoods. By engaging with public services individually and collectively (because the way they work together - or fail to work together- can also be a big issue), your neighbourhood community can improve services and neighbourhood wellbeing.
Running Services
In some places, communities have become involved in the delivery of public services paid for by the council. The Localism Act gives community groups a right to challenge the council if you believe you could run services in your area better yourself.
| Key Facts:
Local councils, the police, health service, social landlords, schools and other public service providers play an important role in determining community wellbeing. Engaging with service providers to improve individual services and how well they join up in the streets and households of your neighbourhood, can be a practical way of improving the area. |
Page Links from here
The 21st Century Public Servant is a report by Catherine Needham and Catherine Mangan at Birmingham University which looks at how public service and what it means to provide public services is changing. There is a website about the project.
In this toolkit, see:
OR you can use the navigation menu above right to look at other parts of the toolkit.
BIRMINGHAM COMMUNITY PLANNING TOOLKIT DEFINITION SHEET This sheet may be reproduced in paper or electromic or any other form but please mention it was made by Chamberlain Forum Limited for Birmingham City Council supported by Department for Communities and Local Government.
| created: 2016-05-22 14:26:58 | by: admin | status: f published |