Finance Minister Tom McCabe has called for a reduction in the number of council chief executives and finance directors in Scotland as part of his plans to reform public services.
Private and voluntary bodies could deliver almost a fifth of all public services by 2007, boosted by massive outsourcing plans across the defence, education and health sectors.
The system of local authority capital finance in England is not working, despite improvements since the introduction of the Prudential Code, a new study claims.
In just four years, the capital's bus network has got bigger, better and faster with millions more passenger journeys each year. David Harding reports on London Buses, the command and control team...
Local government procurement is being hobbled by 'naivety and lack of honesty' on the part of both purchasing authorities and private contractors, the Society of IT Management has warned.
Local government pensions are in a mess. A £30bn shortfall in retirement assets across town halls in England and Wales, revealed in a CIPFA study last week, is bad news enough.
In the run-up to the general election on May 5, the Crown Prosecution Service has confirmed that it is already investigating 39 separate cases of possible election fraud.
A fight has broken out in schools but the pupils are not to blame. Heads claim that they can't afford both the workload agreement and pay reforms. Teachers say this is just an excuse. Conor Ryan...
The new Wales Audit Office carries huge audit and regulatory responsibilities, but its first auditor general is more than ready for this wider role, he tells Joseph McHugh
Calls for a corporate manslaughter Act have intensified over the years after a series of man-made disasters. Now a draft Bill has been published that could make it much easier to prosecute public...
A government pledge to spend an extra £10m on preventing postal ballot fraud has been dismissed as a 'half measure' which will not stop voting malpractice at next month's general election.
Ministers have ignored requests for meetings with local authorities facing the threat of capping and there are 'no grounds for optimism' that the orders will be rescinded, Public Finance has been...
Social landlords are offering only qualified backing for Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott's flagship scheme to extend home ownership, the National Housing Federation has warned.
Delays in handling complaints against councillors, which had led to criticism of the Standards Board for England, were caused mainly by the government's failings, senior MPs have ruled.
Transport white papers have become mere political adverts and will contain policies doomed to failure until ministers change their relationship with civil servants over reforms, a regulatory expert...
Gordon Brown's Budget produced a shock with its commitment to create four merged inspectorates covering the public sector. But will this brave new world lead only to greater confusion and upheaval...
Fines, controls, ever more parking zones. Are these sensible ways to cut traffic and pollution, and raise much-needed revenue? Or just an excuse to rip off beleaguered motorists? David Meilton...
