We live surrounded by a culture of targets. It is not just the Government; Private Companies have been target-driven for decades, and it is well established that setting clear, measurable goals focuses the minds and actions of Managers. Indeed management gurus insist that the three most important characteristics of Leadership are the ability to articulate an attainable vision, the skill to set appropriate targets, and the ability to motivate staff to meet them.

For many people in the public service today, and for many politicians at local or national level, part of the vision is to create a democracy where citizens and stakeholder organisations are able to influence decisions through a variety of mechanisms. They see the limitations of the ballot-box, and are concerned that low turnouts at elections impacts their legitimacy.

Part of the solution, they argue, is something called active citizenship – now taught in the national curriculum, and intended to motivate the public to take a stronger interest in local affairs and in public polices that affect them. Another buzz-phrase is new localism, with its emphasis on taking decisions down to neighbourhood levels whenever possible.