Local Government Improvement – The Taxi Driver Test
Posted by adrianb1 on July 25, 2007
Was at an event last week with Suffolk authorities. The taxi driver told me how awful the local authority where the event was being held was (‘bunch of crooks, don’t understand what it’s like for taxi drivers, council tax rising faster than inflation’ etc. – I didn’t think it was the time to explain the intricacies of local government finance and gearing). And yet the reality I heard about in the event was of lots of good work by the councils to improve their performance.
There was an excellent exemplification in a pre-dinner talk from Alan Reid, Chief Exec of Braintree which has managed to maintain an international reputation over many years. Simple but profound lessons, like: a sense of pride in the authority; the Chief Exec meeting all new starters; supporting people when things go wrong; an ambition to do well; a ‘can-do’ culture; and lots of ‘conversations’ and relationships.
But we haven’t got there until we can pass the taxi driver test.
Noel Hatch said
Really inspiring post. Taxi drivers must have great formal and social knowledge – knowing what local areas look like off by heart, but also being able to see and listen to how people go about their everyday lives. More importantly, they can spark off a debate about local services better than anyone – whether its about a new development or anti social behaviour. Whether its always a positive debate is another matter?
I wonder how we could best involve “taxi drivers” in improving our own services (esp around place-shaping), reaching out to where they are in how we involve them in feedback?