The Best Kept Secret

Next year sees the start of a complete reorganisation at local government. Some counties will disappear and boundaries will change. But who cares? Apart from the dustman and rate demands, local government to most people is a closed book. Yet a small army of part-time amateurs is responsible for spending over £6,000-million on determining the quality of our lives from cradle to grave. What exactly do they do for our money? And how do they set about doing it? To provide some answers to these questions tonight's documentary concentrates on just one county - Cheshire. Not because Cheshire is typical but perhaps it's more representative than most.

The show’s own verdict is on its page.