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

• Workforce Survey 2008 Last updated 19 December 2008

  Read the findings of the Local Government Workforce Survey 2008. The survey was conducted among council heads of HR between July and September 2008.

  

• Dealing with the recession: new guidance Last updated 22 December 2008

  Our recent survey of 150 councils explores the local impact of the recession, while our guide and checklist provide context and suggestions for how to respond.

  

• Strategic housing: capacity and skills audit Last updated 18 December 2008

  Strategic housing has an increasingly corporate role, with 96 per cent of chief executives viewing housing as a key priority. Read more in this new IDeA-commissioned survey.

  

• The big freeze: dealing with the Icelandic saga Last updated 17 December 2008

  Councillor Frank Downes, Cabinet Member for Resources at Buckinghamshire County Council, gives his perspective on the recent Icelandic banking crisis.