While not shying away from the huge challenges faced by all councils, we wanted this year's APSE annual conference to look at practical solutions that are already happening in authorities across the UK.

Delegates heard about demand management in Calderdale; income generation by neighbourhood services in Knowsley; housebuilding to support jobs in Broxtowe; energy generation to save money and tackle fuel poverty in Peterborough; commercialisation of facilities management in Wigan and youth apprenticeships in Fife, to name but a few.

These different approaches share an ability to link what happens on the frontline of service provision with wider strategic issues, including welfare reform, youth unemployment, lack of affordable homes and an ageing population – not to mention budget cuts.

These examples all feature aspects of councils operating in an ‘ensuring' way and we have developed the Ensuring Council model, in partnership with the Local Governance Research Unit at De Montfort University, as a positive vision for local government in the next decade and beyond.

The principal role of the Ensuring Council is active stewardship to establish the social, economic and environmental wellbeing of the local area.

Reducing the local authority's role to that of a commissioner rather than a provider can leave ‘hollowed out' authorities, that lack the capacity to respond coherently and effectively to citizens' needs, so the ensuring approach maintains the strategic advantages of service delivery.

It also promotes municipal entrepreneurship through collaborative innovation and income generation.

The Ensuring Council places local democratic accountability at the heart of service provision; it endorses collaboration and acknowledges the responsibilities of local government for advancing social justice.

The principles were tested through consultation with officers, elected members and experts from local government bodies and are summed up in our manifesto, launched at our recent annual conference in Liverpool.

This includes case studies of local authorities that have joined up an active stewardship role with capacity to deliver cost-effective local solutions.

A fundamental rethink is needed if we are to find viable, long-term solutions to pressing issues and we believe the ensuing alternative can reach parts of local democracy that other models cannot reach.

Paul O'Brien is chief executive of the Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE)