Set the New Year off to a good start by developing a coaching approach. This is an excellent way of improving individuals’ skills and confidence, but it also motivates the team
The current financial crisis is just the start of the problems facing Western economies. ‘Normal’ levels of GDP growth might never return, as a result of climate change, an ageing population,...
Councils are detecting much more fraud but there’s still plenty of places to hide, warns the Audit Commission’s chair. Criminals are finding new ways of plundering public money
When the financial crisis began, governments focused on cutting spending to reduce their debts. Now attention is turning to the other side of the coin – raising revenue. Tax collection is the new...
There’s trouble at the top in Whitehall, with senior civil servants taking to the streets and relations with ministers becoming increasingly dysfunctional. Colin Talbot tests the temperature in the...
The government’s implementation plan shows that ministers are serious about getting to grips with the problems associated with public sector ICT projects
Working in the public sector today is a bit like taking part in The Apprentice. Finance staff face a range of trials and tribulations and need good skills to cope
All staff learn as they do their jobs, building up individual mines of useful information. But sometimes it stays inside them instead of being shared more widely – and they take it with them when...
At first sight, the government’s plan to give councils control of business rates and Council Tax Benefit was a fine case of ‘localism’ in action. In practice, it means town halls will take the rap...
Derek Myers is no ordinary chief executive. Having run one London borough for a decade, he has taken on responsibility for a second and is sharing a range of services with a third. He tells PF how...
Do you know who got blamed for the budget deficit, and who was going to start putting more love about? Do you know your top-ups from your tariffs? Then test yourself with our Christmas quiz...
Can the government’s Open Public Services agenda succeed in a period of local authority budget cuts? Public Finance and Zurich Municipal hosted a round table to debate the possibilities
As the eurozone crisis continues and sovereign debt soars, governments need to urgently reform their accounting practices. CIPFA’s chief executive, Steve Freer, calls for a collective effort across...
Almost everything at work requires negotiation. Learning how to bat points back and forth will not only improve internal and external relations but ensure you get what you need from meetings
Wandsworth has put on hold its plan to issue a council bond to finance housing improvements. But the London borough's finance director believes that this form of borrowing still has a role to...
The race is on to complete the venues for the London 2012 Games and Dennis Hone is stewarding it. The chief executive of the Olympic Delivery Authority talks to Neil Merrick about the false starts...
The expected explosion in local government outsourcing has not taken place. Could it still happen or are there better ways to
make the savings? Public Finance and Civica convened a round table to...
Justine Greening has been propelled to the top role in transport, just in time to oversee the controversial high-speed line planned between London and Birmingham. She will have a tough job defending...
In times of change and uncertainty, individuals’ performance can suffer. Your challenge as a manager in the public sector is to minimise the consequences of this and help all your team fulfil their...
Pessimists argue that only zero growth will save the planet. But it doesn't have to be that way, says the IPPR. There are ways to achieve Treasury growth targets and reduce greenhouse gases
The revised Health & Social Care Bill has made it through its third Commons reading. But many issues remain unresolved - not least the role of competition and price regulation in the NHS
