Local government minister, John Healey, has called on town halls to draft in expert outsiders to help shape policy and services. Echoing PM Gordon Brown's ‘cabinet of all the talents', Mr Healey said councils should appoint skilled experts to advise on key services. In an article in The MJ this week he praises Hackney, Lewisham and Kensington & Chelsea borough councils for calling on experts such as ex-Ofsted chief, Mike Tomlinson for education, and Sir Terence Conran for retail advice.
