The Department for Communities and Local Government released yet more spending data yesterday. They have produced spreadsheets, tables and heat-maps showing how much councils spend per person, and we’d encourage taxpayers to delve into these numbers and find out if they are getting value for money.
Are neighbouring councils delivering better services for less council tax? Why is this? What can your council do to improve service delivery, and can they look to neighbouring authorities for advice and best practice? These are the sorts of questions that taxpayers – and councils themselves – should be asking, and data releases like DCLG’s will facilitate that. There’s a lesson here for other government departments too. When spending decisions are being made and priorities are being reassessed, more information can make it a far less bumpy ride.