Public policy and administration in an era of austerity: rethinking local public services

Introduction There is increasing recognition of the need to make public services and welfare systems sustainable over the long term. International organisations such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the World Bank and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development have recently advised many countries not only to cut their public spending but also to restructure their economies by investing in economic growth to increase the sustainability of public sector welfare programmes.