The Scottish Executive's permanent secretary John Elvidge has appointed an external review team to look at improving leadership, strategic thinking and the delivery of policy objectives for the next...
High levels of public spending are exacerbating regional economic disparities and leading to dependency on central government handouts in some areas, according to a free market think-tank, Reform.
What has a philosophy designed to revolutionise car production got to do with the public sector? Well, quite a lot, it turns out. Zoe Radnor and Paul Walley explain how 'lean thinking' is crossing...
It seems that time is running out for the big regeneration programmes. But, despite government rhetoric about 'mainstreaming', practitioners fear that their resources might not transfer into the...
One of devolved Scotland's first major policies was free personal care for the elderly. Four years on, how has it fared and does it offer any lessons for the rest of the UK? David Scott reports
A property company that manages homes for local authorities has become the first private firm to apply to the Housing Corporation to be an accredited landlord.
Council workers in Scotland will have their early retirement pension rights protected for the next 14 years under a proposed transitional scheme which allows the Executive to comply with a European...
Scotland would lose many of the benefits of economic and financial integration with the rest of the UK if the Holyrood Parliament had powers to raise and spend its own taxes, the authors of a report...
Disagreement between local authorities over employee benefits in the Local Government Pension Scheme risks fragmenting and ultimately undermining it, unions have told Public Finance .
The public sector in Scotland is facing an increasing pension fund shortfall, which now stands at more than £53bn, a study by Audit Scotland has found.
The Scottish Executive has been told to review thoroughly its flagship policy of free personal care for the elderly after an inquiry found councils have insufficient funds to meet demand.
Community planning partnerships in the public sector are finding it difficult to improve services because of their complex remit, Audit Scotland has found.
The NHS in Scotland has made progress in reducing waiting times but might not be able to meet tough new targets, an influential parliamentary committee has warned.
From protecting care home standards to saving people from torture, the Human Rights Act touches on all aspects of public life. Yet it is under fierce attack. Nick Pearce examines why
The government will 'intensify' cross-departmental work to ensure that health and welfare improvements among social groups with life expectancies close to the future state pension age are prioritised...
Scotland's deputy auditor general is renowned as a cool, strategic thinker, a quality she will bring to CIPFA as the institute's new president. Mike Thatcher reports
Scotland's public sector watchdog has defended itself against claims by members of the Scottish Parliament that it might not be achieving best value following rising costs in its budget.
Detected fraud and overpayments among 1,300 public bodies has soared by 33% to £111m since the last sweep of their records two years ago, the Audit Commission revealed this week.
Government and local authority interaction with communities after the London bombings last July was 'well-intentioned' but 'could have been better co-ordinated', the Home Office has been warned.
