One of the paradoxes of the public's on-off relationship with their local councils is that while they value individual services, and indeed, its staff, they generally have a poor impression of the organisation itself. The latest survey conducted by Ipsos MORI, to be published next month by the CLG, shows this paradox growing more marked. A fall in satisfaction of some 8% since the last analysis in 2006 coincides with a general increase in satisfaction in the quality of life of their area. As Ben Page says: ‘Councils seem to be doing a good job at place-making, but getting no credit for it at all.' Yet this comes at a time when CPA figures show councils performing better than ever – outside children's services – and when within Government, the stock of town halls is also high. The number of council senior managers poached to run agencies is also reflective of the esteem local government is now held in Whitehall. So why do the public remain stubbornly unimpressed by their councils as a brand, even while they appear satisfied with the services? Surprisingly, the survey does not blame high-profile issues such as ‘Baby P'. It does, though, say councils need to get their message across better, although this is easier said than done. Unlike big private sector companies, councils cannot spend millions on advertising but must rely on the dwindling local media or churn out their own newsletters. And, of course, council tax is completely transparent and scarcely endears the public to their town and county halls. Part of the problem is the sheer variety of services councils produce and the general ignorance by the public, particularly the middle classes, about their provenance. Indeed, the chattering classes are, if anything, more ignorant about the role of their local councils, being vaguely aware that they empty their bins and stop them from parking their 4x4s. The idea that two-thirds of local government spending goes on schools – over which councils have little control – and social services, always comes as a surprise to them. Michael Burton, Editor, The MJ
