Chancellor Rishi Sunak has provided more clarity on funding but Covid-19 has left local authorities with inadequate funds to actively promote the welfare of children, says Jenny Coles.
An Essex council says it has been forced to change its borrowing strategy because other councils are unwilling to lend to it after negative press coverage over its investments.
The government has launched a bidding process to create at least seven ‘freeports’ in England – promising host councils the ability to retain business rates growth for 25 years.
The upcoming Comprehensive Spending Review must allocate funding to address record public service backlogs, CIPFA and the Institute for Government have warned.
As in any crisis, financial criminals have exploited Covid-19 for their own gain, repurposing tried and tested fraud techniques. It is crucial that public finance professionals are well informed to...
During the pandemic, increased innovation and accelerated digital service provision has been unevenly spread across public services, highlighting a new urgency to invest, writes Aidan Shilson-Thomas...
“Poor decisions” made by the government during its initial Covid-19 response were a result of a lack of long-term strategy and poor use of evidence, a think-tank has claimed.
Public bodies need to ensure they possess appropriate commercial skills before embarking on payment-by-results contracts, according to new CIPFA guidance.
Now is the time to reset current economic frameworks and consider what fiscal rules will guide government decision-making during the Covid-19 recovery phase, says Alex Metcalfe.
The public sector in the UK mandates high ethical standards from those who work within it, and for those working directly with taxpayers’ money in particular.
As we design the way the NHS and wider public sector will work in the future, we should remember the collaborative successes achieved during the pandemic, argues the Healthcare Financial Management...
Boris Johnson’s infrastructure promise offers a one-dimensional approach to helping public services recover from the shock of Covid-19, argues Chris Thomas.
Alfie Dallas, lead finance officer at Derry City and Strabane District Council, tells PF that communication was key to implementing his council’s decision to furlough 250 staff.
The consequences of Covid-19 are profound and local government finance is looking at an extremely daunting and difficult future. The sector should reach a settled position on the big issues so we can...
Just as the 2008 crash unleashed the forces of political populism, speculation is now beginning about how the economic and social impact of Covid-19 will transform politics, writes Richard Vize.
A group of bodies working in and around local government are surveying public sector workers, with a view to sharing best-practice and helpful guidance for operating through the current crisis.
Public service leaders in all all sectors and across many countries should always look to learn from each other, writes strategic advisor and commentator John Tizard.
