MPs have today called for the scrutiny of police and crime commissioners to be reformed after warning that some had fallen well short of public expectations since being elected.
More than one in five police community support officer jobs in England have been cut since the coalition government came to power in 2010, a study of police numbers by Unison has revealed.
Early intervention to tackle social problems is more vital than ever in a climate of local authority cutbacks. Payment-by-results Social Investment Bonds are potentially an important way to kick-...
Outsourcing by government departments risks creating ‘a shadow state’ where public spending is not transparent, and reforms are needed to increase accountability, the Public Accounts Committee has...
Cuts of 20% to police funding were among the deepest austerity measures and the election of PCCs was highly controversial. So why are the reforms hailed as a success?
Vic Emery, the chair of Scotland’s controversial national police authority, laid claim to a successful first year in operation, but admitted that there was still further to travel
Greater collaboration between the three emergency services is being hampered by the lack of clear direction from Whitehall, CIPFA’s police conference was told.
Big Lottery Fund grants totalling £112m are to be distributed to charities across England as part of a scheme to better co-ordinate services for people leading chaotic lives.
The Ministry of Justice has begun formal contract talks with potential private and third sector providers of rehabilitation services as it prepares to introduce payment-by-result contracts to cut...
A committee of MPs has accused the Home Office of being ‘irresponsible’ for paying out more than £6.5m in staff bonuses in 2012/13 despite pressure to cut budgets across Whitehall.
More than one in seven police and crime commissioners share a chief financial officer with their force, risking potential conflicts of interests, according to the National Audit Office
Electronic monitoring contracts currently held by G4S and Serco are to be given to Capita by the end of the financial year, Justice Secretary Chris Grayling announced today.
The Border Force has weakened security at UK borders by focusing on passenger checks and neglecting examination of freight for illicit goods or vehicles for concealed illegal migrants, MPs have...
A Labour government would implement the majority of the recommendations in today’s report from the Independent Police Commission, Ed Miliband confirmed today
Security firm G4S has issued the Ministry of Justice with £23.3m in credit notes after it acknowledged it charged for monitoring electronic tags when equipment had not been fitted or had been removed
The merger of Scotland’s eight police forces into one national service faces ‘significant challenges’ if it is to secure the £1.1bn worth of savings expected from the reform, auditors have warned.
Government action is needed to address the public’s lack of confidence in outsourcing deals, including concerns that private sector firms are making unfair profits, the National Audit Office has said...
Councils should be handed powers to force private landlords to crack down on anti-social behaviour caused by their tenants, the Local Government Association has said.
Probation officers have voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action in protest at government plans to outsource much of the service in England and Wales to private and voluntary providers
More for less has got to be the watchword if public services are to shape up in the years ahead. Mobile technology and improved data analytics are key ways to raise productivity
The Ministry of Justice’s approach to outsourcing probation contracts will be a test of the government’s commitment to voluntary, social, mutual and co-operative organisations. Many fear...