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...
Councils broadly welcomed the extension of the Building Schools for the Future investment programme to primaries. But they are concerned about how it will work and how much control they will retain
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with local authorities facing the threat of capping and there are 'no grounds for optimism' that the orders will be rescinded, Public Finance has been...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...
Public sector auditors will 'significantly reduce' their scrutiny of specific service areas to focus on organisations' corporate centres, under new principles published this week.
The current review of local government finance in Scotland must be conducted in concert with the wider reform of services, senior public finance officials have warned.
Scottish councils should manage their financial reserves now totalling more than £1bn to help cut council tax bills, the Accounts Commission has advised.
NHS foundation trusts have been stuck in the middle of the government split between 'modernisers' and 'consolidators', unable to achieve true financial independence. So reform is urgently needed
Ofsted's first ever finance director tells Vivienne Russell about his drive to bring the standards that he has fostered in local government to the inspectorate
The Private Finance Initiative has not gone away it's just adapted to meet changing times. Mark Hellowell explores the opportunities and pitfalls in the new areas that the programme is expanding...
Housing will face an extremely tough Spending Review in 2006 unless it gets into the habit of making year-on-year efficiency gains, Simon Ridley, head of housing at the Treasury, told the National...
Further education colleges will discuss the extension of the two-tier workforce agreement to their sector but have given no commitment on implementation, their representative body has told Public...
Government promises of a radical shift towards local accountability rang hollow this week after Nick Raynsford moved to cap nine authorities deemed to have set excessive council tax increases.
