Plans by Ofsted to outsource its early education and childcare work have provoked trade union warnings that inspections could be 'severely compromised'.
More and more civil servants now operate at arm's length from Whitehall as part of agencies. But there are suggestions that a Tory government might reverse this trend and attempt a 'radical...
An internal report has produced a damning indictment of Cardiff Council children's services, which are likely to miss all but two of 20 main performance targets for 2008/09.
There remains a lack of coherence in education provision for many 16-year-olds, despite attempts to create a joined-up 14-19 structure for learning, a review of local provision has found.
The huge number of gleaming new hospitals are a testament to the success of the Private Finance Initiative. But can the policy survive now that it is no longer the only game in town? Mark Hellowell...
Former Local Government Association chair Lord Bruce-Lockhart has died of cancer at the age of 66. A former leader of Kent County Council, Sandy Bruce-Lockhart was LGA chair from 2004 to 2007, where...
Citizen empowerment is intended to complement local democracy, but the growth in partnerships can mean less involvement. Chris Skelcher and Eric-Hans Klijn explain how this circle could be squared
The government's review of child and adolescent mental health services will explore ways to provide longer-term funding, according to its interim report, published on July 29.
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...
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.
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...
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,...
It's a tough job& but someone's got to be chief secretary to the Treasury. And who better than a long-standing minister with an economics background? Vivienne Russell meets her
The government needs to recruit and nurture a cadre of expert contract managers to combat the lack of commercial skills among public servants, the influential chair of the Commons Public Accounts...
On the surface, eco-towns seem to tick all the right boxes, providing essential new homes without harming the planet. So why are the locals up in arms? Neil Merrick reports
The 20 most rural local authorities in England have received £20m to ensure young people can study for the 17 new diplomas, five of which will be rolled out this September.
