Local authorities in England and Scotland have opened the annual trial of strength with the government over council tax with the traditional pleas for more funding and warnings of service cuts.
The Home Office is set to move a key accounting unit from Liverpool to its London headquarters to help prevent a repeat of the 'spectacular' financial errors unearthed by auditors this week.
A 'year zero' comprehensive spending review of all public sector spending in Northern Ireland has been announced by secretary of state Peter Hain. The review could lead to the abolition of some...
Health economists have called into doubt the government's presumption that its planned transfer of 5% of current hospital activity £2.4bn in budget terms to primary and social care will be cost-...
This week's health and social care white paper promises joint working and preventive care in the community. But NHS deficits and social service cutbacks mean the trends are pointing the other way....
Public service reforms will fail unless the government addresses 'unfair tax rules' and 'muddled regulation' in the competition for contracts, business and charity leaders have warned.
The Department of Heath must restructure the debts owed by the 169 NHS acute and primary care trusts or risk politically explosive ward closures and service cuts, the NHS Confederation has warned.
Work and Pensions Secretary John Hutton could reinvest £4bn £7bn per year into the welfare system through savings and new tax income gleaned by reducing benefit claimants by 1 million - a target...
Most Whitehall departments will face a spending squeeze in the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review if the chancellor sticks to the spending limits outlined in his Pre-Budget Report, independent...
The tougher CPA is here and there is no hiding place. One of the weak spots is external funding, with many councils displaying a frightening lack of control over and knowledge of grant bids. Guy...
Not so long ago, light rail or tram schemes were the favourite solutions to transport problems in English cities. But one by one the planned projects have collapsed and Transport Secretary Alistair...
Tory leader David Cameron has hit the ground running, ditching old party certainties for the centre ground. But how much substance is there? Philip Johnston has his doubts
Over a million new homes are projected for the over-crowded Southeast. A planning and design abomination or a sensible way to provide pleasant, affordable homes for ordinary people? Will Hatchett...
Once again there is a conflict between the government's policy intentions and the law. This time it affects one of the main planks of its local reforms: Local Area Agreements. But there is solution
Senior staff responsible for IT at Whitehall's largest department have claimed that the days of introducing risky 'big bang' technologies are over, but say that they are on course to provide complex...
Forget the current headlines about schools, one of their biggest difficulties is attracting a head teacher. Phil Revell reports on a recruitment crisis that is threatening the reforms
Scotland's new national transport agency will be responsible for a £3bn programme of investment including new rail and road links, Transport Minister Tavish Scott announced this week.
Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt has acknowledged that cuts in primary care services are now creating a 'real problem' for social services departments.
A blow to spending on social care services threatens a deterioration in quality of life for carers and users, but a new grant could protect this vulnerable group and ease some of the pressures on...
He's a loyal Man U fan and an even more loyal New Labour devotee. Now the local government minister has a new enthusiasm council finances. David Harding reports
Funny, isn't it? For ages, there are no transport crises. Then they all come along at once. Christian Wolmar explains the issues that are now putting the pressure on Transport Secretary Alistair...
Hospitals, schools and councils are all facing radical reform, but the funding systems imposed to achieve this are far from joined up. Tony Travers points out the contrasting philosophies and calls...
