Improvement and Development Agency for local government (IDeA)

The IDeA works for local government improvement so councils can serve people and places better. It is owned by the Local Government Association and belongs to local government.

What you can find here on the IDeA website:

• About us – who we are and what we do
• Services – information about our services and programmes of work
• Knowledge – the latest good practice we’ve gathered from the sector
• Networking – online discussion forums and communities of practice

Knowledge: latest additions

• Preparing a local economic assessment Last updated 21 August 2008

  It is essential to underpin policy development with a good evidence base. We have gathered some case studies and created a nine-step guide to help you prepare your own.

  

• Regional improvement and efficiency partnerships (RIEPs) Last updated 27 August 2008

  Councils face a tough challenge – the need to make peoples’ lives better in a tight financial climate. Find out how the RIEPs can support improvement in your council.

  

• Councillor comment: the transition from district to unitary Last updated 26 August 2008

  Councillor Nic Best looks at the process leading up to unitary status and outlines how Castle Morpeth is managing the transition. Read his thoughts and have your say.

  

• Middle managers and personality Last updated 12 August 2008

  New research commissioned by the IDeA suggests that middle managers who work in local government differ significantly in their personalities from the rest of the population.