Reforms to the funding of new social housing in England in 2004 enabled private sector firms to compete with existing non-profit providers for grant. These reforms are at an early stage, but already around 4 per cent of new social housing is being constructed through direct funding of private...

This paper examines the relationship between the league standing of English professional football teams and the rank and size of the SMLA in which they are located, and the influence of population, among other factors, on attendances at football fixtures. The paper commences with a brief review...

This paper examines the distribution of housing tax-expenditures and subsidies among households in the owner-occupied and public-rented sectors in the Birmingham area, UK. Subsidies to tenants are defined as the difference between market rents and the rents actually set. Tax-expenditures to...

This paper examines a number of issues concerning the effects of monitoring on principals and agents involved in the provision of local authority services subject to competition. It examines, and then extends, existing theoretical work indicating the potential for sub-optimal outcomes that...

This article examines the challenges made by local electors to local authority and parish accounts in England and Wales, and the role of the District Auditor in this process. This matter has recently received some attention from the Nolan Committee. The different sorts of challenges that...

This article examines issues of trust and competition as they relate to a number of services provided by British local government. The first section outlines the changing policy context of competition for local authority services and is followed by a discussion of the nature of trust under...