A new study says meals on wheels services are being cut in many areas of the country and in others charges for the service are being increased as councils struggle with budgets. The report has been produced by home meals service, Oakhouse Foods, which says there is a growing trend away from council-run meals services.

Read more on STUDY SHOW MEALS ON WHEELS SERVICES UNDER BUDGET PRESSURE…

Local authority leaders are urging the Government to work with councils to ensure that the country can take full advantage of newly available European cash. The Local Government Association wants to co-operate with Whitehall after lobbying successfully to bring forward plans to free-up more than a billion pounds of EU funding to help councils and other local bodies fight the recession.

Read more on LOCAL GOVERNMENT WANTS TO MAKE MOST OF PROMISED FLEXIBILITY ON EU MONEY…

By Hilary Wainwright and Mat Little.

As much as £3.5 billion of public money could be saved in back offices alone and services dramatically improved if the Government followed the example of Newcastle City Council which put its faith in council workers and their trade union.

Read more on PUBLIC SERVICE REFORM BUT NOT AS WE KNOW IT…