The two new single and two neighbourhood budget pilots are the ‘shape of things to come' according to DCLG decentralisation minister, Greg Clark.

Responding to an article in The MJ last week by Harrow chief executive, Michael Lockwood, welcoming the new pilots which were announced at the LGA conference, the minister writes: ‘The single budget and neighbourhood level pilots… will respond to the well-established argument councils have been making for a single budget covering all spending on public services. If this design work is successful, make no mistake, this is the shape of things to come.'