For some years, Whitehall, the Audit Commission, among others, have been calling on local government managers to better understand and manage costs.

A ‘perfect storm' on the horizon – predictions of financial meltdown and impending political change – focused prudent leaders, both political and management, to plan and implement strategies to survive. Our approach was simple – understand what matters to local people, and do that well; focus staff and councillors on cost, quality, productivity in priority service areas; and redeploy resources from back office to underpin frontline service delivery.