Lyons Inquiry into Local Government
News and events
This section of the website includes details of recent news and events, including press notices and other media communications and presentations.

Press Notices
27 March 2007 - Lyons Inquiry - National Conference
21 March 2007 - Lyons Inquiry final report and recommendations
19 March 2007 - Sir Michael Lyons's final report - launch and forthcoming conference
11 December 2006 - Lyons seeks views on maximising local government's contribution to future economic prosperity
6 December 2006 - Lyons Inquiry to advise Government on the implications of Barker, Leitch and Eddington for local government
20 November 2006 - Lyons publishes findings from public deliberation events
14 November 2006 - Lyons publishes summary of stakeholder events
8 September 2006 - Lyons to challenge local government and businesses to work together effectively in promoting economic prosperity
17 August 2006 - Lyons to meet businesses to discuss local economic prosperity
21 July 2006 - Lyons Inquiry engages public
5 July 2006 - "Local government's active support is needed now" says Lyons
22 June 2006 - Voluntary and community organisations have a key role to play in place shaping (Adobe Acrobat file: 100kb)
21 June 2006 - Lyons calls for councils to promote the role of housing in effective place shaping
14 June 2006 - Council finance chiefs should be "finance directors for council and community" says Lyons
8 May 2006 - Sir Michael Lyons publishes his latest thinking on the future role and function of local government
Index of press notices concerning the Lyons Inquiry
Speeches and presentations
Index of recent speeches and presentations by Sir Michael
News Archive
Index of news items featured on this site
Place-shaping: a shared ambition for the future of local government
Lyons Inquiry Press Notices index
Lyons Inquiry Press Notice: 27 March 2007 - Sir Michael Lyons today hosts a national conference following the publication of his much anticipated report into the future role, function and funding of local government The conference will hear from a range of senior figures from across central, regional and local government as well as perspectives from business and the third sector. Speakers include Ed Balls, Economic Secretary to the Treasury; Phil Woolas, Minister for Local Government, Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London and Richard Lambert, Director-General CBI ...
Lyons Inquiry Press Notice: 21 March 2007 - Sir Michael Lyons today published the much anticipated final report from his independent Inquiry into the future role, function and funding of local government - Place-shaping: a shared ambition for the future of local government. Sir Michael argues that local government is an essential part of our system of government today. Its place-shaping role - using powers and influence creatively to promote the well-being of a community and its citizens - is crucial to help improve satisfaction and prosperity through greater local choice and flexibility ...
Lyons Inquiry Press Notice: 19 March 2007 - Sir Michael Lyons will publish his much anticipated final report from his independent Inquiry into the future role, function and funding of local government - "Place-shaping: a shared ambition for the future of local government" - at a breakfast briefing on Wednesday 21 March. Sir Michael will unveil his final recommendations and findings, highlighting the vital role that local government can play in creating a system of effective governance for the 21st century, that can manage increasing pressures on public expenditure, improve satisfaction and build more prosperous communities ...
Lyons Inquiry Press Notice: 11 December 2006 - Today, Sir Michael published his discussion document seeking views on the implications for local government of the Eddington report on transport, the Barker report on planning and the Leitch review on skills. The document provides the opportunity for those across the public, private and voluntary sector to inform Sir Michael's latest thinking as he considers how the conclusions from these three high profile reviews can enable local government to make the most effective and powerful contribution to future economic prosperity ...
Lyons Inquiry Press Release: 6 December 2006 - The Chancellor today announced that he and Ruth Kelly, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, have asked Sir Michael Lyons to consider the implications for local government of the Eddington report on transport, the Barker report on planning and the Leitch review on skills in the final report from his Inquiry into the role, function and funding of local government, and to make appropriate recommendations to government. This will mean a short extension to Sir Michael's Inquiry ...
Lyons Inquiry Press Release: 20 November 2006 - Today, at a seminar on effective public engagement co-hosted with the IDEA and LGA, Sir Michael Lyons is to explore the essential role for local authorities in engaging effectively with their citizens. At the event, Sir Michael will also publish the results of work carried out by the Office for Public Management on behalf of the Inquiry which explores in-depth the views of a selection of the public on the role of local government ...
Lyons Inquiry Press Release: 14 November 2006 - Sir Michael Lyons has today published three papers from some of his recent stakeholder engagement work. The first two set out the key issues discussed at the recent councillor and business engagement events held over the summer, the third provides a brief account of the Lyons Inquiry Economic Prosperity Conference held on 14 September 2006 ...
Lyons Inquiry Press Release: 8 September 2006 - Lyons to challenge local government and businesses to work together effectively in promoting economic prosperity. Sir Michael Lyons is to host a national conference - Economic Prosperity: the local contribution on September 14th ...
Lyons Inquiry Press Release: 17 August 2006 - Sir Michael Lyons will be meeting local business people in a series of meetings across England. The meetings form part of a wide programme of consultation and stakeholder engagement being undertaken as part of Sir Michael's independent Inquiry into Local Government ...
Lyons Inquiry Press Release: 21 July 2006 - The Lyons Inquiry will be holding a series of public engagement events in collaboration with local authorities in each region. These events will provide Sir Michael with an opportunity to receive views from a variety of local people to form part of his Independent Inquiry into Local Government ...
Lyons Inquiry Press Release: 5 July 2006 - "Local government's active support is needed now" says Lyons. Sir Michael Lyons today challenged local government representatives to play an active role in building support for change in their communities ...
Audit Commission Press Release: 22 June 2006 - Voluntary and community organisations have a key role to play in place shaping. Sir Michael Lyons, Acting Chairman of the Audit Commission and Head of the Lyons Inquiry into Local Government, will call for a closer relationship between local government and the third sector with the objective of building prosperous, diverse local communities and improving local quality of life ... (Adobe Acrobat file: 100kb)
Lyons Inquiry Press Release: 21 June 2006 - Lyons calls for councils to promote the role of housing in effective place shaping. Sir Michael Lyons called on all stakeholders in the housing sector to engage in the debate on the future of local government ...
Lyons Inquiry Press Release: 14 June 2006 - Council finance chiefs should be "finance directors for council and community" says Lyons. Sir Michael Lyons has challenged council finance officers to play a more active role in supporting local leadership, building capacity for local coordination of services and preparing the way for more difficult choices to be made at the local level ...
Lyons Inquiry Press Release: 8 May 2006 - Sir Michael Lyons publishes his latest thinking on the future role and function of local government ...
Lyons Inquiry Statement of Clarification: 3 May 2006 - Sir Michael Lyons has responded to claims of delayed publication and proposals on council tax increases.
Lyons Inquiry Operational Notice: 25 April 2006 - Lyons Inquiry to Launch Spring Paper. Sir Michael Lyons will be publishing his Spring Paper from his Independent Inquiry into Local Government on Monday 8 May 2006.
Lyons Inquiry Press Release: 28 February 2006 - Lyons looks to devolution to improve public services. Sir Michael, speaking at the LGA improvement conference, today celebrated the real success we have seen councils achieve over recent years in improving services to local people in every region ...
Lyons Inquiry Press Release: 7 February 2006 - Sir Michael Lyons promotes open debate - through new look website - on the future of local government. Sir Michael Lyons has launched a new look website - www.lyonsinquiry.org.uk - to make the work of his Inquiry into local government more transparent as well as providing a new way for people to engage in the debate ...
Lyons Inquiry Press Release: 31 January 2006 - Sir Michael Lyons challenges local government to "take debate to the public". Sir Michael Lyons today developed his argument for a wider debate on local government and local government finance ...
Lyons Inquiry Press Release: 15 December 2005 - Lyons Inquiry consultation paper and interim report published. Today Sir Michael Lyons is launching a consultation exercise on the future role of local government, in order to develop well-founded proposals for a funding system which is sustainable, fair and effective for the future ...
Lyons Inquiry Press Release: 20 September 2005 - Lyons Inquiry into Local Government Funding: Remit Extended. The Government has today announced an extension to the remit of the Sir Michael Lyons' Inquiry into Local Government Funding, to cover questions relating to the functions of local government and its future role, as well as how it is funded ...
ODPM News Release 2005/0193: 20 September 2005 (links to ODPM website) - Government extends Lyons Inquiry and postpones council tax revaluation. The Government has extended Sir Michael Lyons' inquiry into local government funding, so that he can consider issues relating to the wider functions of local government and its future role ...
Lyons Inquiry Press Release 2004: 4 October 2004 - Lyons Inquiry into Local Government Funding is Open for Business. From today the independent inquiry into local government funding in England, led by Sir Michael Lyons, is inviting contributions to its work ...
ODPM News Release 2004/0172: 20 July 2004 (links to ODPM website) - Independent inquiry to advise on council tax reform. An independent inquiry into local government funding that will examine how to make the council tax system fairer and more sustainable was announced today by Local Government Minister Nick Raynsford ...
Contact details
The Lyons Inquiry has now closed. Please direct your queries to Communities and Local Government or HM Treasury.
Communities and Local Government general enquiries helpline: 020 7944 4400
HM Treasury Correspondence and Enquiry Unit: 020 7270 4558
Further contact details are available on their respective websites

Quick links

Lyons Inquiry archive
The Lyons Inquiry website has been selected for preservation by the The National Archives. Versions of this website, including publications, published documents and selected submissions, can be accessed from The UK Web Archiving Consortium website.

Adobe Acrobat files
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