Labour and the Conservatives are both vying to be the party of devolution, but do their proposals include the radical 'whole system' reform necessary to succeed, wonders Dick Sorabji
What has a philosophy designed to revolutionise car production got to do with the public sector? Well, quite a lot, it turns out. Zoe Radnor and Paul Walley explain how 'lean thinking' is crossing...
Anyone who doubted Cabinet secretary Sir Gus O'Donnell's claim that his Departmental Capability Reviews would be tougher and more honest than many Whitehall stalwarts expected need look no further...
Ministers will retain a stranglehold on much of the most politically charged official data unless the government creates a truly independent statistical service, senior backbench MPs are warning.
The government's ambition to improve public services is being hindered by Whitehall's 'undoubted failure' to grasp how to deliver services, an expert has told Public Finance .
Japan's Government Policy Evaluation Act bears a passing resemblance to Whitehall's Public Service Agreements. But it is part of a deeper and more extensive reform to take the politics out of public...
The police service is breathing a sigh of relief that it has been saved a costly and unnecessary restructuring but it still faces a catastrophic funding crisis from 2008. Chief constable Tim Brain...
It seems that time is running out for the big regeneration programmes. But, despite government rhetoric about 'mainstreaming', practitioners fear that their resources might not transfer into the...
Political acceptability will dictate Sir Michael Lyons' proposals to reform local government finance when he concludes his inquiry later this year, he has told Public Finance
Government plans to amalgamate police forces across England and Wales were left in tatters this week after the only voluntary merger broke down once ministers failed to sanction the requisite council...
Every household in Britain is losing around £180 per year because of fraud and error in the government's benefit and tax credits systems, figures released by Opposition MPs this week suggest.
Sure Start, tax credits, baby bonds. Gordon Brown has not been idle on the social policy front while he waits for his chance at the premiership. But what kind of legacy will the longest-serving...
The Cornwall Partnership NHS trust has been placed under 'special measures' following a watchdog report revealing 'many years of abusive practices' of adults with learning disabilities.
For many young vulnerable people, the statutory sector closes its door on them the moment they hit 18. But thanks to new social inclusion projects, this is changing. Nicola Pauling reports
The government is on a new charm offensive with the voluntary sector. But will all the reviews and initiatives allay charities' suspicions that ministers are looking for public services on the cheap...
There is a lull in Westminster, as if everything is waiting for the next PM. For many in the public sector, this represents a welcome rest from a breakneck whirl of reform but not for local...
The public sector in Scotland is facing an increasing pension fund shortfall, which now stands at more than £53bn, a study by Audit Scotland has found.
The Department of Health cannot legally change the way NHS services are provided without first consulting the affected local population, a high court judge has ruled.
Town halls have been urged to tighten up their record keeping after an investigation by the education watchdog revealed that few schools and councils are keep a reliable and accessible list of...
