The Government's constant mantra is the need for controls over local authorities to prevent unacceptable inequality in service standards as a result of poor provision in some areas arising from the randomness of local variation. It wants to end 'postcode lotteries', whereby, in some parts of the country, standards fall below the rest. Alongside its language of new localism, the Government seeks a strong framework of 'national standards', although fewer than in previous years. Sir Michael Lyons' report attacked those who deplored postcode lotteries in service provision. He argued that an approach based on local choice, leading to differences in services in different areas, would achieve a more efficient balance between needs, preferences and resources than would a centralised system.
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