In pursuit of better services

摘要

As we celebrate living in a more diverse population, living longer and having a better quality of life, we must acknowledge the significant pressures on demand that this places on public services and councils across the country. This of course will not be news to readers of The MJ, who are only too aware of the increasing demand and fiscal constraints impacting services. Equally, it should be of no surprise to readers that an unprecedented rise in the over-65s will see the population of England and Wales increase by 6.1m by 2030, and that high unemployment and out-of-work benefit claims during the downturn have brought significant imbalances across the country, with a much-debated North/South divide.