Councils today are facing very real financial, demographic and demand pressures. With central government failing to provide a coherent vision for the sector, local authorities will need to chart their own course. Instead of following Whitehall's fixation with new structures, the focus should be on the critical determining factor of culture.

In our latest publication, Culture Shock: Creating a Changemaking Culture in Local Government, we make the case for a core focus on culture in local government. As our case studies show, councils that have adapted to the right culture have seen greater efficiency and had more impact with their plans making them more successful organisations.