Patricia Hewitt survived the recent Cabinet reshuffle. But her department faces huge upheavals, with newly merged SHAs and PCTs and a worldwide search for a new health service boss. Seamus Ward...
Taking on local young people as caretakers has proved to be a winning idea for Richmond Housing Partnership. Its Paintbrush scheme has not only cut levels of graffiti and vandalism but also solved...
Transforming a failing school into an institution that includes and motivates all its pupils is a major challenge, but one that former footballer David Seddon relished when he took on Baxter College...
Research shows how tough prison can be on families but Sharon Berry's charity, Storybook Dads, has gone a long way towards bringing inmates and their children closer together. Joseph McHugh reports
Books not Asbos are being used by a pioneering Edinburgh community library to challenge young people's antisocial behaviour and transform lives. Judy Hirst met the staff at Sighthill, who are...
This year's Outstanding Public Servant of the Year represents the best in public service, say the judges. Through his work with Connexions, Anthony Vanterpool or 'Swifty' helps to change the...
New transport chief Douglas Alexander might imagine he has inherited a successful rail sector. But Christian Wolmar predicts a host of problems further down the track
As all the parties compete for a fresh image, the LibDems have taken a lead by appointing England's youngest MP as a top Treasury spokeswoman. Vivienne Russell talked to her
David Miliband planted the idea of 'double devolution' when he was communities minister. Now the priority of his successor, Ruth Kelly, must be to explain what this concept means and how it will...
Introducing a market into local health provision can in theory increase user 'choice'. But in practice the most likely result is that a few giant firms will end up running all the services in ever-...
A catalogue of central government failures strengthens the case for devolving more powers to local government. So why despite decades of official rhetoric and numerous inquiries is Whitehall so...
The chair of the Lyons Inquiry into Local Government says that there is now a consensus in favour of more decentralisation. But councils will have to raise their game to improve transparency and...
Local government is finally getting the attention it deserves, with its white paper and inquiry both due this year. But will anything change? Public Finance invited Sir Michael Lyons and a round...
The past four decades have produced major technological, medical and engineering advances but have failed dismally to reform local government finance. Sarah Wood says this time there must be change...
The structure of local government, as well as how it is run and financed are all under scrutiny. This offers the perfect opportunity to explore lasting reforms after years of tinkering, argue Frank...
As the axe falls on thousands of frontline NHS posts, the government faces a huge row over the impact on clinical care. Seamus Ward visits a health trust about to shed 1,200 posts and hears both...
Whatever government reform you look at, you'll find joint working is part of it. But councils planning to join up to share services need to ensure that by doing so they don't trigger EU procurement...
A tool for local economic regeneration or an antisocial licence to print money? As competition hots up in the bidding war for the UK's first 'super-casino', Peter Hetherington talks to the councils...
Free further education for 19 25-year-olds and a radical white paper suggest that the long-neglected college sector is finally getting its day in the sun. But what about the funding gap, asks...
The failure of List 99 to stop paedophiles working with children shocked parents and teachers and nearly did for the career of Education Secretary Ruth Kelly. Phil Revell asks whether the...
Patient Choice sounds great in theory, particularly when the likes of Julian Le Grand explain it. But we have to take care to avoid rushing into an untried and uncertain solution to the problems of...
Flooding, terrorism and an oil depot explosion have all wreaked havoc in the past few years. So how can public bodies use continuity planning to prepare for such disasters in the future? Ronan Ball...
Below-inflation staged pay awards. A new government committee to vet all deals. Is this an incomes policy in all but name? Alastair Hatchett explains why and how the Treasury is getting tough on...
Got a problem that needs sorting? You could do worse than ask the senior Cabinet Office minister in charge of most things. Mark Conrad talks to the amiable all-rounder
