Public sector organisations are racing ahead with outsourcing but all too often are dependent on just one or two suppliers. Paul Bentham says it's time to get a grip and inject a bit of...
Council rents will be brought in line with those charged by housing associations but should not increase by more than 5% during each of the next two years, ministers said this week.
The Audit Commission this week accused Whitehall of hindering local government's efficiency by tampering with regulations that impose huge costs on councils.
Unison members at Sefton on Merseyside are to strengthen their campaign of selective industrial action following the council's decision last week to sack two members who campaigned against a housing...
Choosing spending priorities involves some tough, painful and invariably unpopular decisions. Harrow decided to put its residents in the hot seat and invigorate democracy in the process. Maria McHale...
Rhodri Morgan is every bit as evangelical as Tony Blair when it comes to improving public services. But Wales is taking a very different route from Westminster. Steve Davies reports on public sector...
Local authorities should help the Housing Corporation to choose which registered social landlords receive public money to build homes, housing professionals said this week.
Central and local government have agreed to patch up their differences and work together to try to keep council tax rises low following angry exchanges earlier in the week.
More than £2m is being given to 19 schemes in England to develop ways of tackling homelessness more effectively, housing minister Yvette Cooper announced on November 2.
The London Borough of Merton was dreading the new-look CPA, which appeared to threaten all the improvements it had made. But it was pleasantly surprised when the final changes were revealed
Water companies' services are almost perfect, says the regulator. But with almost 4,000 million litres of water wasted through burst pipes and leakages every day, David Meilton begs to differ
Health professionals fear that primary care trusts will still lose their function as providers, despite Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt's apparent concession on the issue this week.
The education white paper aims to complete the government's reforms by hugely extending parental choice and providing better schooling all round. But, asks Martin Bentham, will this latest upheaval...
Opponents of new house building are grossly exaggerating the impact that it will have on rural areas in Southeast England, councils were told this week.
Some five million householders in England and Wales are at risk of flooding - and as many as 41% of them are unaware of the dangers, the Environment Agency has warned.
A new efficiency plan showing how resources for affordable homes can be made to deliver more has been produced by Communities Scotland, the executive agency responsible for housing and regeneration...
Scottish Water has improved its efficiency and slashed operating costs but it could still do better, according to a report from Audit Scotland this week.
