Welsh local authorities must improve during this year, according to the local government minister Dr Brian Gibbons. In a keynote speech to local authority members and senior officials, Dr Gibbons cited working together as key to improvement and said he would consider a ‘reserve power' for ministers to direct collaborations. He said: ‘We must drive forward the improvement agenda through improvement agreements, sharpening the Wales Programme for Improvement and by shaping our policies around local service boards and standards.'
