The debate on the deficit has been dominated by the cost of bailing-out the banks and the affordability of the welfare state. The impact of expensive PFI contracts should not be overlooked, explains Dr Anne Stafford. No matter who wins the General Election, the next government will have to deal with the growing cost of […]
Give local authorities more freedom to deliver sustainable cities
Public bodies play a unique role in renewing our urban infrastructure to make our cities more sustainable. The transformation of the Greater Manchester waste system illustrates how local government can accomplish this through ambitious procurement projects, argue Dr Sally Gee and Dr Elvira Uyarra. In 1999, local government faced a major problem. European legislation was […]
Who owns London’s revenues?
The debate is raging on whether London disproportionately creates or consumes the UK’s revenues. Dr Adam Leaver chips in. Ever since Evan Davis presented Mind the Gap, a debate has raged about whether London’s dominance of the UK economy is a positive or a negative. While my colleagues Iain Deas, Graham Haughton and Stephen Hincks have put forward the […]
Government bails out “Private” Finance Initiative
The old joke that consultants borrow your watch and then charge you if you want to be told the time has finally come true. The UK Treasury has announced it will step in to provide the finance for £8bn worth of PFI (private finance initiative) deals this year, as other sources of finance dry up […]