The first week of the General Election witnessed something of a Dutch auction as to who could be most credible about ‘efficiency savings’. One side says it’s easy – only 1% of Government spending; the other side talks of sums being made on the back of an envelope!

Mandarins at the Ministries will however be preparing for budget cuts whoever wins, and as all the talk is of ‘intelligent’ savings and of protecting ‘front-line’ services, expect pressure on policy-making staff and the backroom researchers that help gather the evidence. Council leaders will probably come up with a similar analysis. So will this impact upon the extent to which the public and key stakeholders are consulted?