Energy companies are cheaper and cleaner when run by the council
London mayor Sadiq Khan has pledged to follow Nottingham and Bristol in setting up a council energy company – and it could shake up the whole market
May 2016
Francis Maude's legacy on shared services is looking shaky
David Walker
With many private firms apparently clueless about how politics affects public services, no wonder shared services have a chequered history
March 2016
What hypocrisy, these savage cuts to early intervention services for children
Mary O'Hara
Can Britain's bureaucracy handle a Brexit?
February 2016
The cost of cuts
Fixing the UK's mental health crisis will need both police and health
Mary O'Hara
People in need deserve better than a few patchy pilot schemes. It’s time to fill the gaps in our over-stretched police and mental health services
November 2015
What’s it worth?
When cuts are inevitable, how do police decide what gets left out?
Officers will have to make tough decisions, but work by the Met and West Midlands Police provides a starting point
Asking firefighters to be paramedics during a time of cuts is dangerous
Jamie Newell
UK firefighters may have to respond to medical emergencies but the stress on the service from increased demand could put workers and the public at risk
Devolution revolution? Not until there's real public service reform
Jo Casebourne
George Osborne needs to do more than hand over power to local government if he wants services like health and social care to work better
October 2015
Health in cities
How to create healthier cities – livechat
Why councils could be knocking on death's door in the race for business
September 2015
Birth of the space age exhibition: how we got the Russians on board
I do much more than police work. But if I don’t do it, who will?
Nathan Constable
July 2015
Why Birmingham library needs Google and language classes to keep doors open
Penny Holbrook
Here at the city council, we’re wrestling with how to maintain services while taking £850m out of the budget. Our partnerships are essential
April 2015
Global public leaders
Former Finnish PM: 'Inequality harms growth, not the other way around' – video
The deputy secretary-general of the OECD, Mari Kiviniemi, says her biggest challenge is helping governments to communicate with their citizens
January 2015
Welcome to the Guardian Public Leaders 2015 editorial board
Nine leaders with a breadth of knowledge of public services – from the civil service to health and criminal justice – will help us tackle important issues this year
September 2014
Small business blog
Small businesses are being locked out of local economic decision-making
Local enterprise partnerships are dominated by large businesses to the detriment of growth in our communities
July 2014
Global public leaders
Devolution, Italian-style – the cities forging their own futures
Money-making schemes coming soon to a park near you – in pictures
Endangered pubs – in pictures
Police service is failing to engage our most deprived communities
