Learning, Innovating and Performance in Post-New Public Management of Locally Delivered Public Services

<title>Abstract</title> Commenting upon strands of post-new public management (NPM) debate, including Lapsley (2009) and Osborne (2010a) the article argues that as local public service organizations enter the <italic>age of austerity,</italic> performance driven by innovation and learning, will be an important feature of any NPM paradigm. The article suggests a theoretical framework for innovation in local public services: <italic>listening and learning</italic>, illustrating its usefulness by a case study of West Lothian Council, Scotland.