Public services—in the UK and elsewhere—are under considerable pressure, not just from austerity, but also from a variety of social, demographic and technological changes (in effect ‘austerity plus’). In this context, three broad options are open to policy‐makers: continue with tried‐and‐tested approaches while spending less money, which in the UK means a reliance on ‘New Public Management’ (NPM); withdraw completely from certain public services; or develop new approaches to public administration. We argue that all of these approaches have been attempted in recent years, but it is the final option that is most interesting and potentially the most beneficial. In this article, we examine experiments with these new approaches in responding to ‘austerity plus’. In particular, we examine various attempts at ‘collaboration’ in public services and discuss the risks associated with them. We conclude by setting out the extent to which policy‐makers have moved beyond NPM and suggesting some of the benefits that this could bring.

Griffiths, Kippin and Stoker bring together many of the country’s leading academic and policy experts to explore the long-term challenges facing public services, and ask what the role of government, citizens and society should be in addressing them. The book sets out a new reform agenda, exploring possibilities for the future design and delivery of public services in the UK and beyond. Public Services: A New Reform Agenda is an important new contribution to the debate that will be invaluable for policymakers, practitioners and academics.

Dependence on the mineral sector is central to economic reforms in Africa. These reforms have the objective of increasing economic growth and reducing poverty. Mineral endowed countries such as Ghana have been successful in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) to the mineral sector through liberalisation of mining codes, which provide generous concessions to foreign multinational mining companies. UNCTAD (2005) indicates that a large proportion of FDI to Africa has gone into the mining sector with the continent attracting mining investment to the tune of $15 billion in 2004. This represented 15% of the global total and a considerable increase of 5% from the mid-1980s.According to Kwasi Barning (n.d.) foreign exchange earnings from mineral production in Ghana increased from $108 million in 1985 to $710 in 1999. This could be attributed to the gold price hikes, reforms of the mining regulatory framework of Ghana, which provided mining companies generous tax exemptions, facilities for profit repatriation and stability of investment. Mining districts such as the Wassa West District became the location of eight multinational surface mining companies from the late 1980s. Gold Mining in Ghana -The Jungle BoomsThe gold industry goes through 'boom and bust cycles'. Ghana has experienced three gold rushes in periods described as Jungle Booms.