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Welsh efficiency drive will focus on collaboration, says Hutt
2013
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Latest public sector news

Pay freeze helped NHS meet savings targets, says PACThe NHS met its efficiency savings targets last year partly by freezing wages and rationing treatments, the Public Accounts Committee concluded today. 22 March 2013
Ministers prioritise pooled spendingPlans to establish Community Budgets across England have taken a step forward after the government wrote to councils offering help to pool local funding across the public sector. 22 March 2013
Higher education funding cut by £800mPublic funding for universities and colleges has been cut by more than £800m as part of the 'transition' to a funding system based on higher student fees. 21 March 2013
Chancellor tightens squeeze on Whitehall spendingChancellor George Osborne has increased the scale of the public spending cuts he is seeking from the June Spending Review by £1.5bn. 20 March 2013
Call for rethink of 'toxic' pension reformsGovernment reforms to the state pension could increase the cost of public sector pensions to the taxpayer, a think-tank warned today. 04 February 2013
Minister returns £150m to councils to speed up adoptionsA £150m funding cut to local authority children's services is to be returned as part of reforms to the adoption system, the government has announced. 24 January 2013
Welsh Government makes up 10% Council Tax Benefit cutThe Welsh Government has taken £22m from reserves to allow local authorities to keep Council Tax Benefit payments at pre-cut levels in 2013/14. 18 January 2013
Rail franchise review rules out major changeA review of the government's rail franchise policy has ruled out major reforms following the botched award of the West Coast main line contract last year. 11 January 2013
Auditors query NHS savingsAuditors have managed to substantiate less than two-thirds of the £5.8bn savings the Department of Health claimed the NHS achieved last year. 13 December 2012
Wales should have tax and borrowing powers, says commissionWales should be given enhanced tax-raising and borrowing powers, according to 'significant and historic' proposals published today by a government-appointed commission. 19 November 2012
Welsh town hall budgets set to shrink for ten years, says IFSWelsh councils will be spending less per person by the end of the decade than they do now, the Institute for Fiscal Studies has predicted. 05 October 2012
West Coast rail contract scrapped after 'Whitehall errors'Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin has scrapped the West Coast Main Line rail franchise competition, citing 'unacceptable mistakes' by his department. 03 October 2012
G4S should give up Olympics fee, say MPsSecurity firm G4S should forfeit its £57m Olympic Games management fee for failing to provide the required number of security staff, MPs said today. 21 September 2012
Public sector pensions Bill publishedThe government has today published legislation to bring in its controversial reforms to public sector pensions, which ministers claim will save £65bn over the next 50 years. 13 September 2012
Councils fear Whitehall regulatorsMinisters have been urged to rule out greater Whitehall monitoring of local government after fresh concerns were raised that the abolition of the Audit Commission could lead to increased central oversight 31 May 2012

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London Finance Commission calls for tax powers for capitalLondon government should have full control over council tax, stamp duty and business rates as well as power to introduce new levies, such as a tourism tax, the London Finance Commission has recommended.

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Facing up to future costs
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London Finance Commission: this time it's different
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Comment on The shared service solution by Steve Jorden
Shared services do work and can generate significant savings without compromising on service quality but you do need to be open to doing things...
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Yet again we come up against the "elephant in the room" of too many small local authorities that need not just to share services but to be...
Comment on The shared service solution by Charis Croft
Shared services, if done well, cna deliver back office savings. However, ultimately, most services come down to a fixed amount of 'stuff to do' -...