Ahead of his CIPFA Conference fringe lecture, Lord Hattersley speaks to Joseph McHugh on getting too cosy with the private sector, the breakdown of the party machine and why he's counting the days...
Scotland's deputy auditor general is renowned as a cool, strategic thinker, a quality she will bring to CIPFA as the institute's new president. Mike Thatcher reports
As the Gershon enforcer, John Oughton is the man charged with ensuring £21.5bn in efficiency savings roll in. So how is the public sector doing on its great mission, asks Joseph McHugh
While Labour and the Conservatives join battle over who has the most sustainable policies, public sector organisations are making some serious strides forward. Andrew Ross reports on an issue whose...
The Department for Communities and Local Government is considering a fundamental overhaul of local authority pensions potentially creating a new scheme with retirement payments linked to employees...
Local Government Secretary Ruth Kelly this week delayed the sector's white paper until the autumn, allowing for a more radical assessment of plans to devolve powers to cities and town halls.
Town hall leaders have given cautious backing to government plans announced this week to dock the housing benefit of antisocial residents who refuse to undertake 'rehabilitation'.
Detected fraud and overpayments among 1,300 public bodies has soared by 33% to £111m since the last sweep of their records two years ago, the Audit Commission revealed this week.
The new leader of London's Conservative councillors is confident he will take control of the capital's local government body following the Tories' sweeping gains in last month's local elections.
Local government should seize the opportunity offered by the Lyons Inquiry and push for a model of local transport funding akin to that developed by Transport for London, the Local Government...
Ken Livingstone has pledged to put the fight against global warming at the heart of his London plan, as he published the first major review of the 2004 strategy.
Government and local authority interaction with communities after the London bombings last July was 'well-intentioned' but 'could have been better co-ordinated', the Home Office has been warned.
Financial managers in the public sector are prepared to do what is required to make the Gershon efficiencies but first they want some firm decisions on how the improvements will be measured
The recent wave of primary care trust withdrawals from Local Area Agreements at short notice has highlighted the need to put LAAs on a firm legal basis. So why isn't the government doing so?
Scotland's public sector watchdog has defended itself against claims by members of the Scottish Parliament that it might not be achieving best value following rising costs in its budget.
The Department for Education and Skills has pledged to review the new Dedicated Schools Grant following criticism from MPs and local authorities that it prevents funds being targeted at deprived...
Town halls are being asked for their views on the best way to encourage young people, people with disabilities, and those from inner cities and black and ethnic minority communities to make the most...
Local authorities will peg business rate increases to no more than inflation if they are returned to local control as part of a shake-up of the finance regime, town hall leaders have promised.
The reorganisation of police forces in England and Wales must be properly organised and funded, the new head of the Association of Chief Police Officers said this week.
The minister co-ordinating the government's public services reforms this week urged Whitehall departments to sign up to a project that could prevent workforce opposition to future changes.
