Publisher's Synopsis
This text presents a detailed analysis of management of public services at the local level, drawing on the work of the ESRC Local Governance Programme. The radical transformation of public service delivery is assessed in terms of its overall impact as well as its operation in particular areas. Efficiency has improved and services have gained a user focus yet the new late-1990's management appears to be full of contradictions and distortions, in many respects creating as many problems as it solves.