Criticisms of lack of evidence about the third sector's role in public services are misplaced, says Stephen Bubb. The root of the problem is poor commissioning
Doubts over sustainable school design were raised this week, after it was revealed that energy use in state schools would be included in the Carbon Reduction Commitment emissions trading scheme.
An increase in the number of local authorities recruiting existing chief executives from other councils is driving up costs and restricting the recruitment pool, the Audit Commission has said.
The battle over public sector pay looked set to extend to Scotland this week, with civil servants and 100,000 local government workers ready to oppose Scottish Government offers.
Public finance and chief council officers have warned that the Scottish Government's plans for a local income tax would create a funding gap of £742m, partially remove fiscal autonomy from local...
Councillors must improve public trust in local politics if the government's community empowerment initiative is to succeed, according to the Improvement and Development Agency and the think-tank...
Addressing deprivation and access to opportunity is more important in defusing community tensions than attempting to foster a common sense of 'Britishness', according to a report by the Joseph...
Health minister Ivan Lewis has announced the 25 local authority schemes that will share the £80m Extra Care Housing Fund for 2008-2011. The fund is paid to councils to help them provide specialised...
Three Whitehall departments have displayed marked improvements in their performance in a round of follow-up capability reviews, showing 'compelling' evidence that they have acted on previous findings...
Third sector minister Phil Hope has agreed with an influential select committee that more robust evidence is required to prove whether voluntary bodies deliver public services in more distinctive...
City economies should be ready to fill skills gaps in employment for when there is an upturn in the economy, a government minister has said, as a report found the most successful cities in Britain...
The local government finance system in Scotland could be destabilised, with serious implications for services, if a local income tax is introduced, leading revenue experts warned this week.
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...
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
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,...
