Sir Simon Milton has announced that he will stand down as chair of the Local Government Association less than a fortnight after being re-elected following the offer of a post as a deputy to Mayor...
Outsourced public services are big business. DeAnne Julius's landmark review last week valued this relatively young sector at £79bn, with the potential to keep on growing. Business Secretary John...
The Public Accounts Committee has again lambasted the Rural Payments Agency for its poor implementation of the Single Payment Scheme for farmers. A report published on July 15 found that almost 20,...
Public service reform is entering a new era, with tailor-made budgets geared to the needs of individuals and putting users in control. Sophie Moullin reports
A bid to revitalise local democracy and hand control over assets and spending to local communities were at the heart of the local government white paper published by Communities Secretary Hazel...
The government talks long and loud about empowering local communities. So why is it so determined to impose directly elected mayors on councils and citizens that plainly don't want them, ask George...
On the surface, eco-towns seem to tick all the right boxes, providing essential new homes without harming the planet. So why are the locals up in arms? Neil Merrick reports
Conservative leader David Cameron told councillors that the Tories were the true localist party but declined to commit to a reform of town hall finance.
The political parties have fired the opening shots in the Glasgow East by-election, a contest that is crucial for Labour and Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
The government has refused to review the £800m allocated for flood prevention in the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review, despite MPs warning that the sum 'looks inadequate' to cope with the risks.
There is 'no compelling evidence' to show that the government's efforts to encourage the third sector to deliver public services is helping to raise standards, according to backbench MPs.
If Sir Peter Gershon has left one legacy it is that he has made efficiency a major part of public sector discourse. This, at least, is the view of Chief Secretary to the Treasury Yvette Cooper.
Attempts by the government to improve the housing market in the North of England and the Midlands have been more 'successful at demolishing old homes' than building new ones, a committee of MPs has...
The 20 most rural local authorities in England have received £20m to ensure young people can study for the 17 new diplomas, five of which will be rolled out this September.
The high take-up of indicators related to volunteering and third sector organisations in the latest Local Area Agreements will benefit the most vulnerable people, the Cabinet Office has claimed.
How do you persuade people to stop behaving badly, or to do things for their own good? Not by bribing them or banning the activities, says Ann Rossiter, who argues that reinforcing social norms is...
New streamlined performance indicators for town halls mark a 'major cultural shift' in the way councils are measured and in their relationship with Whitehall, the communities and local government...
Representatives of up to 100,000 civil servants were this week discussing plans to stage walkouts over pay to coincide with the local government strike on July 16-17.
