Latest Public Sector News

Renewable subsidies harming green growth – Civitas

17.05.13: Green energy projects to meet EU directives by 2020 will cost every home £600 a year, Civitas has warned. A new paper, Are Green Times Just Around the Corner? Criticises “unprofitable renewables” and warns that subsidies are di... more >

IPCC investigation made ‘fundamental errors’

17.05.13: The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has been criticised for making “fundamental errors” and for clearing police officers of any blame for the death of a man in custody. A review by criminologist Dr Sylvia Casale... more >

A single fire service for England? – Knight review

17.05.13: The fire and rescue service must be “transformed”, a Government-commissioned review has urged. Sir Ken Knight, who has had a 40-year career in firefighting, including as a chief fire officer, found that significant change must be mad... more >

UK ‘failing’ vulnerable children – BMA

16.05.13: Austerity policies of cutting welfare benefits and social care could “set the country back even further”, a report by the British Medical Association (BMA) has warned. The report highlights recent international data that ranked... more >

£3.3bn funding gap for HS2 – NAO

16.05.13: The NAO has identified an estimated £3.3bn funding gap in the costs for HS2 over four years from 2017/18 – 2020/21. The Government has yet to decide how to fill this gap, a new review warns. The Department for Transport said the... more >

LGA calls for Government to lift housing cap

16.05.13: Removing the cap on the amount of funding that councils can borrow to invest in housing could allow 60,000 new homes to be built over the next five years, the LGA has stated. The association is calling for a commitment in the next spending... more >

‘Hidden’ food waste should be audited – TiR

15.05.13: The food industry should be required to audit its supply chains to cut down on waste, campaigners have urged. This is Rubbish (TiR) has published a new report calling for more transparency in the system, to shift part of the blame from indi... more >

Reducing welfare system ‘danger’ – OECD

15.05.13: Income inequality in the UK increased by more in the first three years of the economic crisis than in the previous 12 years, new data from the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation (OECD) shows. The report covered 34 developed nat... more >

Welsh government reviews advice services

15.05.13: The Welsh government has published a review into services providing free advice for the public, as they manage reduced funding and rising demand. Organisations such as the Citizen’s Advice Bureau and Shelter Cymru have been analysed t... more >

£10m to tackle ‘revolving door’ of care for homeless people

14.05.13: Homeless people are more likely to be admitted to hospital or A&E, and are often discharged without their health and housing problems effectively addressed. The Government is providing £10m funding to help address this, by support... more >

Electoral Commission sets out proposals to cut fraud

14.05.13: Postal voting should be restricted to minimise the opportunity for electoral fraud, the Electoral Commission has suggested. A new consultation has been published seeking views on possible changes to arrangements for voting in person at polling s... more >

High speed network for Blackpool

14.05.13: Blackpool Council will set up its own high speed internet infrastructure, to cut costs and boost digital efficiency across Lancashire. The Networking People (TNP) will design and build a council-owned wide area network and manage it for fiv... more >

Cameron in ‘impossible situation’ over Europe

13.05.13: Former foreign secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind has criticised Tory ministers who have broken ranks over Europe, saying they would vote to leave the EU if a referendum was held now.  Both education secretary Michael Gove and defence secre... more >

Gove calls for pupil premium to be protected

13.05.13: Funding to help the most disadvantaged pupils should be protected from cuts during the next Spending Review, education secretary Michael Gove has urged. The pupil premium is paid to schools for each student who is eligible for free school m... more >

Huhne and Pryce on early release from prison

13.05.13: Former cabinet minister Chris Huhne and his ex-wife Vicky Pryce have been freed from jail after 62 days. The pair had been convicted in March for perverting the course of justice and sentenced to eight months in prison. Under terms of their... more >