A review and analysis of recent attempts to promote local economic development and improve
public services that considers the potential role of the ‘growth coalitions’ and ‘smart local government’
project in progressing and creating synergy between these two agendas. A critique of
the current growth agenda, as represented by Local Economic Partnerships and the Single Local
Growth Fund and whether it connects with the potential growth opportunities that can be
realised out of local public service expenditure. A consideration of whether Community
Budgets, as the current approach to improving local public services, represent a new managerialism
rather than a new ‘transformation’ agenda to better meet the needs and address the wellbeing
of local people. Suggestions are made about how to capture the inherent value, and realise
transformational change in the provision of local public service services along the lines of the
decade-old ‘growth coalitions’ and ‘smart local government’ project. Also, about adding value by
creating synergy between local public service expenditure and the work of Local Economic
Partnerships and the Single Local Growth Fund, for the benefit of local citizens and growth.