News - May 2011

Cameron defends 'gritty and radical' Big Society plansThe Big Society is not an 'optional extra' but the platform on which public service reform is being built, David Cameron said today 23 May 2011
Salmond lobbies Osborne for greater powers for HolyroodScottish First Minister Alex Salmond has called for more powers for Holyrood in talks with Westminster Cabinet ministers. 23 May 2011
Health reforms need rethink, says NHS ConfederationThe body that represents most of the organisations in the NHS has refused to back the government's planned health reforms. 25 May 2011
Independent living is priority for care cash, says DilnotAttendance allowance should be 'renamed and rebranded' under a new social care system based on both individual and state contributions, the head of the independent commission examining care funding has told Public Finance. 25 May 2011
Elderly patients given substandard careThree hospitals in England are failing to meet basic legal standards for the care of elderly patients, inspectors have said 26 May 2011
Labour's pension reforms will save £67bn, says PACChanges to public sector pensions introduced by the previous government will lead to substantial savings, the Public Accounts Committee said today. 26 May 2011
Central government 'should join in property-sharing plans'Central government needs to be more involved in plans to co-ordinate the use of public buildings better, a CIPFA conference was told yesterday. 27 May 2011
Bids open for the next ten enterprise zonesThe competition to become one of the next ten enterprise zones has begun, with 29 council and business partnerships vying for their area to be chosen. 31 May 2011
Scottish social enterprises call for greater role in council servicesLeaders of Scotland's social enterprise sector are holding talks with local authority chief executives to pitch for a greater role in providing public services. 31 May 2011
Bank of England's inflation predictions 'progressively worse'The Bank of England's inflation forecasts have become 'progressively less accurate', leading to questions over the effectiveness of its interest rate setting, a think-tank is claiming. 31 May 2011
Call for clarity on children's services role after Baby P rulingDirectors of children's services have called for the government to clarify the future of their role, in light of the Baby P Appeal Court case and many council'' plans to merge the post with others 31 May 2011
Son of PFI: achievable or a bridge too far?Dubbed the 'discredited' way to deliver public infrastructure by Chancellor George Osborne, the Private Finance Initiative has fallen far from favour. But with £200bn of infrastructure funding needed, what's the alternative? 27 May 2011
HE innovation grants to continueGrants for universities that work with employers to boost economic growth are being continued, it was announced today. The Higher Education Funding Council for England will allocate £600m between 2011/12 and 2014/15 to 98 universities with a good track record of working with business and other employers. 26 May 2011
Public sector better at preventing fraudPublic sector organisations are better at protecting themselves from fraud than private sector bodies, according to a report published today. 27 May 2011
Health Bill hold-ups 'could jeopardise savings'Further delays to the government's health reforms could detract from the 'urgent business' of saving £20bn from the cost of the NHS, a health think-tank said today. 27 May 2011