Stephen Byers has intervened to end six months of stalemate in the Best Value review he initiated, imposing his own solution to the two-tier workforce problem.
London's primary care trusts must forge effective partnerships with their local authorities if they are to improve public health in the capital, the King's Fund said.
Nick Raynsford this week warned local councils that they could expect further government guidance on local strategic partnerships, despite previous claims that Labour is committed to granting greater...
Politicians must 'be brave' and admit that decentralisation of decision-making in the NHS could lead to further accusations of a postcode lottery of care, health minister Hazel Blears was warned.
A white paper supposed to point the way forward for Scottish local government has failed to resolve one of the most contentious issues whether or not to introduce proportional representation for...
At first glance, there is little to connect the near riot by supposed anarchists outside Barcelona's Palau de Congressos convention centre at the European Union summit last weekend and the serene,...
Labour is no closer to ending homelessness after new figures showed another rise in the number of people being housed by English councils in emergency accommodation.
More than a million extra homes must be built in the next 20 years if Britain is to avoid a major shortage of affordable housing, according to a report published this week.
Almost six months to the day since Stephen Byers announced his review of Best Value to assuage union concerns about workers' rights in outsourcing deals, progress has ground to a halt.
One in four councils has been running education and social services so badly that central government has had to intervene, and more cases could be on the way, according to the Audit Commission.
Government rent reforms are failing to tackle demand problems on housing estates because they focus too heavily on earnings rather than property values, housing professionals were told this week.
Local authority tenants who voted against taking part in a Private Finance Initiative scheme are to be consulted again over plans to spend £45m improving their homes.
Fraud investigators are to be appointed throughout England in response to the mounting number of complaints being received by the Learning and Skills Council.
Two-thirds of schools with sixth forms are to receive more than their guaranteed funding level in 2002/03, the Learning and Skills Council announced this week.
Ministers have again deferred a decision to impose a referendum about directly elected mayors on Birmingham, the country's largest local authority, even though they admit they are likely to force a...
Council tax bills are to soar by an inflation-busting 8.1% on average, reflecting widespread fears among authorities that their budgets are being stretched to the limit.
Health Secretary Alan Milburn has signalled a significant increase in social services spending in this summer's Spending Review but insisted it will be allied to 'radical' reforms, including the de...
Open government inched a step closer this week when the government finally accepted the recommendations of the Sharman report on audit and accountability in central government.
The Association of Police Authorities fears that the Home Office's latest initiative to reduce crime in deprived areas could be undermined by elevating national police priorities at the expense of...
Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council has urged Home Secretary David Blunkett to launch an independent inquiry into the financial administration of the Cleveland Police Service, after it was revealed that...
