Primary care trusts will be forced to set up their own on-line booking services for hospital appointments to overcome GPs' reluctance and meet government targets on Patient Choice, their...
The Scottish committee of inquiry into the future of local government finance has stressed its independence from the Lyons review in England, raising the possibility that Scotland could embark on a...
The extent to which ethnic groups have their differing needs met by public services is to be more closely monitored under a new race equality plan launched by the Home Office this week.
A Conservative government would save £35bn on government spending by 2007/08 under the spending plans outlined by Michael Howard and Oliver Letwin this week.
Direct funding would lead to fresh financial turmoil in schools, creating an annual national shortfall of £200m, local government leaders warned this week.
Town hall leaders are demanding urgent reform of the 'out of date and failing' council tax benefit regime, which they say penalises the very people it is supposed to help.
Hopes that the new education secretary would water down controversial government policies were dashed last week when Ruth Kelly nailed her reformist colours firmly to the mast.
The Conservatives would demand £4.43bn in efficiency savings from local authorities, with Whitehall cuts yielding a further £2.3bn, they announced this week.
Northern Ireland's district councils should be given a general power of competence, according to a report on the public health function in the province. The study was commissioned by the Department...
The government should take great care in linking expenditure with outcomes as there is little evidence that its extra cash has led to educational improvements, MPs warned this week.
Social landlords are being urged to play a greater role in housing asylum seekers and refugees, despite doubts about the future of contracts issued by the National Asylum Support Service.
Ministers are considering a reorganisation of local government in England but no firm decision has yet been taken to introduce unitary authorities, it was confirmed this week.
Ministers are likely to plough ahead with plans to overhaul fire emergency call centres, despite a leaked Whitehall report stating the project runs the risk of 'total failure'.
Education ministers will consider extending the use of private companies to rescue failing councils' education services after inspectors gave an upbeat report on a flagship scheme in the West...
Bradford's foundation trust was considering a legal challenge against the removal of its chair this week as relations with its regulator reached crisis point.
Plans to make severance payments to Scottish councillors who stand down at the next local government election will cost the taxpayer £6m, the Executive has revealed.
Councils were given an early Christmas present this week, when they were told they would no longer be responsible for finding £3bn in schools' and police authority savings called for in the Gershon...
Labour faces the embarrassment of going into next year's general election defending a record of rising homelessness after ministers admitted that numbers will continue increasing for another three...
The government awarded a contract for five more private sector treatment centres this week, despite anecdotal evidence that patients are unhappy with the initiative.
Council leaders in Scotland have warned that the Executive's funding settlement for local government will not be enough to prevent substantial council tax rises over the next three years.
Two-thirds of councils are now 'excellent' or 'good' after 52 surged up the rankings when the Audit Commission published its Comprehensive Performance Assessments on December 16.
