An audit of public sector reform in the North East

This paper considers four key areas of the public sector - criminal justice, education, health and welfare-to-work - and the changes that have taken place within them over the last decade, from 1997 to March 2007.

The specific focus of this audit is to consider the changes as they affected the North East of England. The situation of the North East - from where we started back in 1997 to where we are now - is considered in relation to the other eight English regions. Wherever possible we also consider change within the North East at a sub-regional level.

The paper observes change as it was officially measured, focusing on the key outcomes and targets of central government policies. However, the audit presented here can only show what has happened as recorded by a given number of measures; it cannot show how it happened (the detailed processes and possible interrelationships), or how the change was experienced by users and providers.