The coalition talk might be all about small government. But in the real world, the unprecedented shocks to the UK - banking crises, terrorist attacks, riots - show we rely on the state more than ever
The new head of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research has hit the ground criticising. And it is the chancellor's over-rigid fiscal tightening that former government chief economist...
The successful early completion of the main Olympic venues came as a pleasant surprise to many people. Let’s hope the rest of the public sector learns from this
The need for staff to pull together has never been more important as bigger workloads, tighter targets, redundancies and uncertainty take their toll. Pam Jones explains how to build teams that can...
Action on Hearing Loss, like most charities, is facing a tough budget squeeze. But managing director of corporate resources Paul Breckell tells PF it's important that disabled people do not end up...
Away from the sound and fury of the controversial NHS changes, another revolution is quietly taking place – the transfer of public health to town halls. Noel Plumridge looks at what this will mean...
As the new term approaches, Education Secretary Michael Gove is rushing through more free schools and academies. But will independence from local authority control and putting head teachers back in...
The abolition of the Audit Commission is going to change the shape of public sector audit forever but many questions are still unanswered. PF looks at what the future holds and talks exclusively to...
Councils feel they are being transported back to the 1980s, as severe grant and budget cuts pile on the pressure to contract out services to save money. But they can gain or lose from the experience...
It is not sustainable for the eurozone to support the sheer volume of existing private and public sector debt in member nations. Either restructuring of the debt, or reconstitution of the eurozone,...
The coalition commitment to releasing ever more government figures is feeding the press’s reliance on data for stories. So what should the public sector do?
Times of change are always unsettling, so it is more important now than ever to make sure you are moving job for the right reasons. Ann McFadyen shows you how to look before you leap
On the surface, the government's planned Community Right to Buy seems to be an admirable example of localism. But it runs the real risk of turning into nothing more than extra red tape for councils,...
Mark Lowcock is a permanent secretary with a difference. Not only is he a qualified accountant but his department's budget is actually rising. He tells PF how he is managing to cut costs while...
All the coalition talk might be about contracting out services but for many councils, the opposite is looking more attractive. Bringing services back in-house allows better control of costs and...
All the coalition talk might be about contracting out services but for many councils, the opposite is looking more attractive. Bringing services back in-house allows better control of costs and...
The Dilnot report is the latest attempt to find a solution to the social care funding crisis. To avoid the fate of its predecessors, it has erred on the side of compromise. But in doing so it has...
CIPFA CONFERENCE 2011 VIDEO INTERVIEW: Chicago city treasurer Stephanie Neely outlines the financial challenges facing the US's third largest city. She also discusses the privatisation of public...
CIPFA CONFERENCE 2011 VIDEO INTERVIEW: CIPFA chief executive Steve Freer discusses the way local authority finance directors are handling their budgets; the future of council audit, backing plans to...
The public sector cuts have put the spotlight on costs, requiring a fresh focus on data and a big culture change to go with it. Accountants hold the key
CIPFA CONFERENCE 2011 VIDEO INTERVIEW: Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles responds to the communities and local government select committee’s report on his changes to local authority audit. He...
As chamberlain of the City of London, CIPFA's incoming president is accustomed to holding a position of power and prestige. Chris Bilsland talks to PF about 'the best financial position in the public...
