As our constituents face increasing hardships, the need to both demonstrate and achieve genuine value for money in public services is paramount. But it goes beyond this because the public sector is now bust, Gordon has spent all the money and the coffers are now empty.

The alignment of three significant factors say to me that we do have right now a golden opportunity that we will live to rue if we do not seize it. It will be another 15 years before we will have another opportunity to debate localism.

Local government has a proven history of delivering efficiency and should demand a proper conversation around what can and should properly be delivered at a local level.

Whilst all of the major parties are now debating this concept, I prefer to use the language of the doorstep than that of Whitehall policy wonks and local government functionaries.

From that perspective it is clear that people (in Central Bedfordshire at least) care deeply about their communities and are often prepared to put time and effort into supporting them. We have many willing people that help out the local school PTAs, government bodies or sports clubs.

Residents in our care homes are well supported by volunteers and our charity shops flourish.

We have a profound lack of trust in democratic institutions. Too many of our residents feel that their local authorities are remote and uninterested in them.

Effective consultation is fine, but I'm less convinced that this will really lead our punters to believe that we are actually listening to them – but a seriously radical approach to the efficiency agenda would.

People care about their money, but they don't feel that politicians at any level share their concern. Local government has a real opportunity to prove them wrong and a real need to do so in the context of impending financial meltdown in public finances.

Locally we're working with our partners in the neighbouring unitary of Luton, as part of the total place pilots. Counting every tax pound spent in an area on public services and thinking about how we could use it better is sparking creative thinking about how we could achieve doing more with less, but perhaps also contemplating doing less with less.

Total place is the start point and the catalyst for a robust and open debate with the big Whitehall spending departments over what should be delivered centrally and what naturally fits with local councils.

An example of this is in DWP. As a matter of principle Jobcentre Plus sits better with local government which understands its localities and its communities and is best placed to respond to changing demands and local priorities.

Conversely I can see a powerful argument for revs & bens to be delivered through the national body since it is largely a transactional service.

In Central Bedfordshire this thinking is flowing owing quite naturally. The creation of one new authority from three legacy councils has demanded that we think differently about service delivery.

Applying sound business principles to our thinking about provision of public services is not about a dogmatic view of the free market; it is about an openness of mind and pragmatism to explore whichever model of delivery works most effectively.

That for me this is encapsulated by the word ‘commissioning' which fundamentally changes the way in which a local authority thinks. In some cases this may mean outsourcing, in others it will mean working with other public, private or third sector organisations.

In others we simply stop doing things. I do not mean to imply that these options will be easy. Several ‘wicked issues' will need to be addressed on the way such as public sector pay and pensions.

The challenge to an incoming government is simple - is it serious about localism or will it once it has been sweet talked by civil servants decide to hang onto all the levers of power?

Are we up for this? Right now there is a vacuum that we can move into, but it will mean slaughtering a whole herd of sacred cows, closing ‘pet' projects and it will be a bumpy journey.

And if we fail to grasp the nettle? All of us face the unpleasant prospect of either dramatically cutting services to vulnerable members of our communities or increasing council taxes.

Cllr Richard Stay is chairman of Improvement East RIEP, trustee of the Leadership Centre for Local Government and deputy leader of Central Bedfordshire and member of the LGA Improvement Board.