Opinion/blog

Counting the cost of capital cuts

1 May 2012 | Mark Luntley

Cutting infrastructure spending is not a long-term solution to our financial problems. It simply replaces a visible financial deficit with a hidden maintenance backlog Read more

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Bonus that doesn’t fit the bill

1 May 2012 | Nick Raynsford

There’s something wrong with the New Homes Bonus, not least that it isn’t stimulating much actual new house building. An urgent review is needed Read more

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Normal service will not be resumed

30 April 2012 | Dan Corry

Public services are not going through a temporary little local difficulty. And the knock-on effects for charities and communities will be severe. It’s time to face the financial facts Read more

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Beveridge principle bites the dust

30 April 2012 | Claudia Wood

Sick and disabled claimants are about to have their contributory allowances severely capped. It marks an end to Beveridge’s concept of social insurance Read more

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Payment by Results is no panacea

30 April 2012 | Andrew Neilson

The Ministry of Justice is piloting Payment by Results to try to prevent prisoners from reoffending. But experiments so far have not proved a success and it remains questionable whether this is an appropriate model Read more

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Whitehall woes revisited

27 April 2012 | Colin Talbot

The Jeremy Hunt debacle raises again the issue of Whitehall reform. Our reputedly ‘Rolls Royce’ civil service actually has deep flaws in its institutional make-up and needs to be modernised Read more

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‘Skintland’ slur shakes up Scots

27 April 2012 | Iain Macwhirter

The Economist’s inflammatory cover feature comparing an independent Scotland with Greece has revived the debate over breaking away from the UK Read more

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Baffled over Scots’ ballot

27 April 2012 | Don Peebles

When Scotland goes to the polls next week, voters may be confused about whether they are deciding on local or national issues.  In some cases the electorate is being asked to vote on manifesto promises that can’t in fact be delivered locally Read more

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New model finance directors

26 April 2012 | Ebony Hughes

Local government FDs have seen the future, and it’s not pretty. So how can they face up to the daunting challenges at a local and community level? Some new research points the way Read more

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Treasury puts the bind on bonds

26 April 2012 | Mark Hellowell

Councils are keen on raising extra cash from the bond markets. But the Budget has undermined local initiatives Read more

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