London won the right to stage the 2012 Olympics on the strength of the legacy that it will leave behind for deprived areas such as east London. So will transport, housing and other facilities be...
The Local Authority Business Growth Incentive scheme is a good idea on paper rewarding councils for increasing their business tax base. But they would get the benefits faster through the annual...
Wellbeing rather than narrow concerns about efficiency looks set to be the next big thing for policy makers. Phil Swann explores the meaning of public value
Government plans to slash the number of people claiming incapacity benefit have suffered a blow after a detailed statistical exercise revealed there were 135,000 more recipients than estimated.
Councils and housing associations should be able to decide which properties can be sold under a new government scheme to extend home ownership, according to the Chartered Institute of Housing.
The government's decision to cap the budgets of eight English councils has prompted warnings of service cuts and complaints about the cost of rebilling.
A government drive to reduce the cost of social housing is threatening the financial stability of registered social landlords, the Housing Corporation was told this week.
Bedfordshire County Council is on the point of terminating its £250m contract with supplier HBS because it claims the firm has not tackled problems in the support services it provides.
Too many Bills emanating from government are simply nodded through. Letting MPs elect members of select committees would give backbenchers the role they deserve and democracy a necessary boost
Some local authorities have still not introduced any procedures to prevent money laundering, although they have been legally required to do so for more than a year. It's time they woke up to the...
The director of the Centre for Cities is using skills honed at the Treasury to focus on the economic and commercial drivers of urban development. Will Hatchett reports
The government's strategy for service provision should help drive innovation and improvement, but it also throws up challenges for public sector financial managers unused to dealing with market...
The new benefits minister is intent on reforms that will raise the employment rate, overhaul housing allowances and fix the DWP's IT systems. Mark Conrad reports
One of the few contractors to show interest in the Private Finance Initiative in housing has blamed the government and local authorities for its limited success.
Councils are targeting social services as prime areas to achieve Gershon efficiency gains. But can these 'Cinderella services' really live on less? Paul Gosling reports
