Monthly Archives: December 2010

Consultants can make the difference, by Alan Leaman

22 December 2010 | Alan Leaman

A new administration is determined to change the way in which government works. It sets itself ambitious targets for savings and efficiency. At the same time it launches massive programmes of public services reform, with changes planned in education, health, the police, welfare and local government. One of its members even calls it ‘Maoist’. Read more...

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Taking care of pensions, by Mike Taylor

21 December 2010 | Mike Taylor

Lord Hutton has been charged by the government to explore how to make public sector pensions more affordable, yet still provide an adequate retirement income for Britain’s millions of public sector workers. Read more...

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Now you see it, by John Thornton

17 December 2010 | John Thornton

This first of a new series – Smart Thinking? – focuses on the challenges for finance teams raised by the Transparency Framework and information management Read more...

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How soon is now? By Alison Scott

17 December 2010 | Alison Scott

The scale of council cuts is exacerbated by their front-loading. Alison Scott sees a tension between the need for urgency and promoting localism Read more...

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Evidence and the EMA, by Paul Gregg and Lindsey MacMillan

17 December 2010 | Paul Gregg and Lindsey MacMillan

Young people leaving school at age 16 with few or no qualifications face a bleak future. As with high school drop outs in the US, employment rates are low for most of their working lives, as are earnings when they work. So a programme that encourages people from low-income families to stay on in school at age 16 would seem to be sensible policy making. Read more...

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The Great Train Wreck of 2013, by Colin Talbot

17 December 2010 | Colin Talbot

Looking back on the Great Train Wreck of 2013, some say it was ironic that a government that was formed to tackle a public finance crisis of one sort should have managed to create a quite different one of its own making. But, of course, it wasn’t just a public financial crisis, as public services plunged into chaos. Read more...

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Green for go? By James Close

16 December 2010 | James Close

As usual, our parliamentarians and civil servants have marked the final week before the Christmas recess with a frenetic bout of legislative activity. Monday’s Localism Bill, Tuesday’s draft Cabinet Manual, Wednesday’s unemployment figures and today’s Electricity Market Reform green paper have kept the Westminster Village at full stretch – party season or not. And that’s not even including the continuing repercussions surrounding the coalition’s higher education funding reforms. Read more...

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Localism: risks and rewards, by Andrew Jepp

16 December 2010 | Andrew Jepp

The Localism Bill, unveiled this week, claims to shake up the balance of power in local service delivery. It may well achieve this aim, but at the same time it also fundamentally shakes up the balance of risk – a factor all local authorities and the public need to be aware of. Read more...

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No protection for schools, by Conor Ryan

16 December 2010 | Conor Ryan

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Tough settlement: oh yes, it is, by Andy Sawford

15 December 2010 | Andy Sawford

In the 36 hours since the local government finance settlement was announced I’ve heard accusations of ‘spin’ by the government, and ‘whingeing’ by councils. Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles claims that the maximum funding reductions are 8.9%.  But in this season of pantomime, councils are shouting back ‘oh no, it isn’t’ . Pointing to the detailed figures they say the real story is ‘behind you’. Read more...

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