In these times of thrift, it is perhaps ironic that the public sector has turned towards a British institution synonymous with risk to solve its financial conundrums: the City of London.
The regeneration of 39 of the most deprived areas of England is being hindered by poor financial reporting and strained relations with local authorities, the National Audit Office warned this week.
Only one in five councils in England and Wales has implemented the historic single status agreement on pay and conditions six years after it was signed, a survey from the GMB union has found.
John Prescott's department is this week trying to persuade the home secretary to flex his political muscle and join the battle to avoid another year of politically damaging council tax hikes, Public...
The Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and the Scottish Qualifications Authority were in urgent talks this week to try to resolve a dispute over fees that could bring chaos to the examination...
Public service leaders are demanding a 'substantive' role in the Treasury's wide-ranging efficiency review amid mounting concerns that ministers will impose 'unrealistic' and 'unworkable' reforms on...
Millions of pounds are being poured into rundown estates in northern England as ministers deny claims that too much housing investment is concentrated in the South.
Scottish local authority leaders this week defended a proposal that councillors should receive a basic annual salary of £25,000 about half the amount paid to members of the Scottish Parliament.
Britain's commissioner for correctional services has strongly denied MPs' accusations that the treatment of youth offenders is a costly, ineffective failure.
Government efforts to promote the Private Finance Initiative in housing have received a boost after 19 local authorities bid to join the third round of the programme.
London motorists who obstruct traffic flows by blocking box junctions or disregarding one-way signs will have to hand over £100 fines to local authorities from April.
Local authority representatives have welcomed the government's decision to abandon controversial proposals to withhold housing benefit from antisocial tenants after a consultation exercise revealed...
Storm clouds were gathering over local government pay this week, with unions set to lodge a 4% pay claim, despite warnings that employers are determined to keep to the Treasury's inflation-only limit...
Normal political debate has pretty much been forgotten amid the tumult of the Hutton Inquiry report and the vote over university top-up tuition fees, but in recent days senior Labour figures have...
Six months ago, Salford City Council was on the verge of setting up an arm's-length management organisation to help it meet the decent homes target by 2010.
The government is 'seriously considering' proposals to hand control of the business rates back to town halls, and privately recognises that firms are not contributing their fair share of funding to...
The chief inspector of prisons has lent her support to the proposed restructuring of the prison and probation services, but warned that the independence of the inspectorate must not be compromised.
Plans to introduce proportional representation for Scottish local government could add £6m to the administration of elections and other costs, senior officials have estimated.
Cambridgeshire County Council is warning of a 10% hike in its council tax if the government forces it to fully passport funding to schools, despite meeting ministers' minimum spending targets.
The government is planning a crackdown against 31 councils on a secret Whitehall hit list identifying those likely to set inflation-busting council tax increases, as the issue dominated the political...
Local government leaders are to urge ministers to review the entire regulatory framework for councils, while broadly endorsing the Audit Commission's planned reforms to the Comprehensive Performance...
The government put the final seal on the long-running fire dispute this week with the publication of the Fire and Rescue Services Bill, the first major legislation to reform the service in 50 years.
Upside-down handshakes and strange thumb signals will no longer be secret signs in town halls with new guidance compelling councillors to register their membership of the Freemasons.
