Indicators to measure and compare the outcomes of public services are a useful tool when it comes to innovating in and improving the delivery of these services at the local and regional levels, especially since they help better communicate concrete results to citizens.

This was one of the main conclusions of a leaders’ roundtable called “Serving the public: reshaping and modernising public services for efficiency, quality, sustainability” held on 27 September 2012 at the General Assembly of European Municipalities and Regions in Cadiz.

The use of new technologies notably helps local and regional authorities to better communication with their citizens, underlined participants.  However, it is important to think of those who do not necessarily have access to these types of technologies.

Certain participants also highlighted that, while necessary to bring in new technologies, municipalities and regions had to remember to keep human contact as well.

One leader stressed that “you have to keep it simple and think of innovative solutions, listen to citizens and use the same channels of communication that citizens do.”