The Parliamentary commissioner for standards, John Lyon, has confirmed that he is to launch an investigation into the funding row involving Work and Pensions Secretary Peter Hain following a...
Millions of pounds raised in council rents are set to be snatched from the housing subsidy system by the Treasury and used for general public expenditure.
Councils in Scotland are to be required to establish registers of assets held under the Common Good, an ancient system of safeguarding property and land that was administered by the former burghs on...
The government's Children's Plan sets out an ambitious vision for raising educational standards. Here, schools minister Jim Knight explains how a new approach to commissioning can help local...
Business process outsourcing is growing rapidly in local government, as cash-strapped councils agree huge deals with private firms to provide a range of back-office services. Anat Arkin examines the...
Plans to compel local authorities to respond to any petition signed by 250 residents could be 'hijacked' by extremist groups such as the British National Party, the Local Government Association has...
We received an impressive tally of high-scoring entries to our annual sprint through the year's public sector events. So very well done to our winner, Karen Franklin of Spalding in Lincolnshire, who...
Local authorities have attacked the Audit Commission's 'unacceptable' plan to hike its audit fees by up to a third by 2011 and are fighting a last-ditch battle to kill off the proposals.
All local authorities will be expected to prepare their annual accounts in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards from April 2010, CIPFA has announced.
Healthcare Commission chair Sir Ian Kennedy has hit out at plans to merge his organisation with two other regulatory bodies, warning MPs that the move could 'set back development of a culture of...
The former head of communications watchdog Ofcom, Stephen Carter, has been appointed chief of strategy and principal adviser to Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Carter, currently chief executive of...
Where next for the IPPR? Judy Hirst talks to its new co-directors about a more consensual style of politics and why two thinking heads are better than one
All NHS acute and mental health services in England will be provided by foundation trusts within three years, the Healthcare Financial Management Association conference heard last week.
Proposals to fund public services through the planning system could frustrate efforts to build more affordable housing, social landlords warned this week.
Changes in Scotland's Best Value system will be overseen by Professor John Baillie, the newly appointed chair of the Accounts Commission, which is responsible for the audit of local government.
Campaigners have welcomed government plans to radically transform care and support for elderly and disabled people by extending the system of personalised payments.
The CBI has hit out at government mismanagement of public procurement, which it warns is threatening ministers' ambitious plans for reforming frontline services.
Local government minister John Healey has urged councils to look beyond the 'here and now' and face up to some of the long-term, deep-rooted problems that affect their communities.
Tenants should be given wide-ranging powers to scrutinise their landlords within the new regulatory system for housing associations and local authorities, according to a report.
Council leaders and ministers this week committed to a new relationship which moves closer to recognising central and local government as equal partners in service delivery.
