The recent allegations made against the two companies contracted by the Ministry of Justice to operate the national tagging scheme inevitably raise some fundamental questions.

The government has instigated several reviews, including potentially a Serious Fraud Office investigation in respect of G4S’ involvement and behaviour in the MoJ tagging contract.  It is appropriate that these reviews and inquiries should be...

As the CIPFA Annual Conference takes place this week, and as Jaki Salisbury takes over as President and Rob Wightman is appointed the new Chief Executive, what should be the key six priorities for this august body?

I was asked this question a few days ago by a well-respected public sector leader who was wondering aloud to what extent professional...

Over the next few years and probably the next decade the public sector, voluntary and community sectors, social sector and business are going to face massive challenges:

• substantive economic growth is unlikely for some time.
• domestic and international demand for many products and services provided by the business sector could easily stall.
• public expenditure will continue to be constrained, with the prospect...

It was encouraging to hear that Ed Miliband has asked three experienced and successful Labour council leaders (actually two leaders and an elected mayor) - Richard Leese, Jules Pipe and Sharon Taylor - to lead a policy review contributing to the 2015 m...

Local government and the local voluntary and community sector (VCS) seek to promote the interests of the same communities and citizens, and often they provide services to the same communities and citizens. So it seems obvious that they should seek to find a common cause.

However, over the past three years, as local authorities have been forced to make difficult...

Is the idea of bringing all three ‘blue light’ services under the watch of police and crime commissioners just political kite flying by home secretary Theresa May? Or does it deserve serious consideration?

It is reported that Theresa May, the home secretary, is promoting the idea of bringing responsibility for the three key ‘blue light’ services – police, fire and...

I am delighted to have been invited to speak and join the panel at a Charities Aid Foundation event in Parliament on Monday 10th June to discuss local authority funding to charities.

This event will focus on the 'Back Britain's Charities' campaign which was created by the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) and National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) following the...

Even given the propensity of the tabloid press to exaggerate and to print alarmist headlines, if five years ago a newspaper headline had stated that half a million people would be reliant on food banks in 2013, it is most likely that it would have dismissed at fanciful. Yet today this is the stark reality.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies...

There is an interesting public procurement initiative in the USA. It strives to align the multibillion-dollar government procurement expenditure with the pursuit of more responsible capitalism and public expenditure constraint.

President Obama is to propose to Congress that federal contractors should experience sizable reductions in future payments and remuneration for senior executives. The President is to present draft legislation to...