The business of government is far from straightforward. Local government organisations must juggle fiscal, geographical and demographic challenges while simultaneously addressing the demands of their many political, regulatory, citizen and business stakeholders.
Local government organisations must address four key areas:
- the transformation of public services,
- the supporting technology structure,
- the demand for greater government transparency, and
- the challenge of recruiting, developing and retaining talent.
The CGMA government research programme explores the implications for the finance function and highlights case studies of good practice from around the world.

Webinar: Talent and transformation in local government
Watch this webinar to learn how finance teams are driving innovation through talent and transformation strategies. This is a joint webinar with CIPFA.

Transformation - Improving government performance
This briefing continues the investigation into how finance professionals and key stakeholders understand the impact of local government transformation.

Improving government performance through effective talent management
This briefing continues the investigation into how governments can improve performance by outlining the need for a sustainable talent management strategy.

Technology – Improving local government performance: strategy, communication and cybersecurity
This briefing continues the investigation into how local governments can improve performance by using technology. It addresses the importance of implementing and communicating a digital strategy, while emphasising the role of cybersecurity.

Technology in government performance: Digitalization and open data
The digital agenda is an immediate and urgent priority for government organizations as one of the primary and most accessible means of improving citizen service and driving efficiencies.

The future is now – Transparency in government performance
This briefing highlights developments and challenges for the public sector, and assesses the future impact of growing public and stakeholder demand for clearer information on performance from government.

Transformation and transparency: Managing local government performance
This report explores the role of the finance function in local government. It provides guidance for local government leaders and finance professionals on how to enable effective performance management.

The four Ts of local government performance
Effective performance management and strong financial leadership will be at the core of sustainable public service delivery.

Improving performance in local government organisations through better information management
Management consultant Stuart McGregor, ACMA, CGMA, draws on three decades of experience in the public sector to identify steps finance professionals can take to enable effective performance management in local authorities.