spending cuts

Brent libraries’ Indignados strike a global chord

The campaign for the survival of Brent’s libraries faltered last week when it lost its High Court battle. But the public anger given voice by the Brent campaigners is being replicated across the world, and politicians need to start paying attention. Read more

Tags: | | | | 1 comment

Localism: no longer a fringe issue

Localism is being debated across the party conferences, including at yesterday’s Public Finance/CIPFA fringe event. It needs to move centre-stage Read more

Tags: | | | | 1 comment

Lansley’s hypocrisy on NHS cuts and PFI

The PFI is being blamed by Andrew Lansley for the NHS’s financial problems. But the policy has been supported by successive governments, including this one – and the bigger cause of cuts lies elsewhere  Read more

Tags: | | | Comment

Public sector talent: don’t waste it

Smart ‘talent management’ needs strategic leaders to drive it – rather than process-driven, competency-obsessed functionaries Read more

Tags: | | | | Comment

Bleak outlook for living standards

The recession that started more than three years ago has taken some time to impact on household income, but the pain has only been postponed and not avoided Read more

Tags: | | | | | Comment

Disability cuts: how are you coping?

New research shows there as many ways of making cuts to disability services as there are authorities – and there’s no ‘magic bullet’ for coping with them  Read more

Tags: | | | Comment

Disability allowance: not an optional extra

Are cuts to the Disability Living Allowance – and to its replacement – being used to compensate for lower levels of local authority social care provision? Read more

Tags: | | | Comment

Yeah but, no but, on public service reforms

A new survey of public sector leaders shows they are worried  about the speed and scale of service cuts, but cautiously welcome some of the government’s decentralising reforms Read more

Tags: | | | | | Comment

Why there were riots in Lewisham

We should not be surprised at riots in inner-city areas like Lewisham. A whole workless generation has been abandoned by society  Read more

Tags: | | | | 17 comments

‘Staggering’ savings? I don’t think so

There is nothing ‘staggering’ about Francis Maude’s announcement  of £3.75bn savings other than the audacity of making such inflated  claims Read more

Tags: | | | | 7 comments