Local government in Portugal had a good opportunity to modernise through the Programa de Formacao para as Autarquias Locais (Foral) [Training programme for local authorities], implemented between 2000 and 2005. Substantial financial resources were made available through the programme to retrain local government human resources in order to improve coordination between services, respond to requests from local inhabitants, and equip municipalities with technical and human resources. The programme was in operation for six years and its development and outcomes can now be assessed. Starting from an analysis of local authority "social balance sheets" in two key years (2000 and 2005) and from information obtained as part of a process for assessing the impact of the Foral programme (2006), some of the changes brought about in local government due to the effects of the programme are presented and discussed. (Contains 8 tables.)