Mandarin and minister clash over council plans

Keep it real

Sir Humphrey from TV’s Yes, Minister had a word which he would doubtless have used had he been a protagonist in this week’s front page story.

Claim that offices can become 250,000 homes rejected

Senior officials warned that statistics the government used to promote a flagship policy to convert office space into new homes were too optimistic.

DCLG worker faces disciplinary action over Twitter attacks

A civil servant at the Department for Communities and Local Government has been suspended after he was caught mocking ministers on Twitter.

The gospel according to Matthew

On Monday, Matthew Bailes takes charge of regulation at the Homes and Communities Agency as the Tenant Services Authority shuts its doors for good. Martin Hilditch meets the self-confessed career civil servant to find out what’s in store.

Rough justice

Dangerous type

The demotion of a housing employee over comments he made on Facebook highlights the grey area between employees’ public and private lives. Here, Lydia Stockdale finds out how others can avoid getting themselves into trouble

No trouble

The government is drawing up new measures to streamline approaches to anti-social behaviour. ASB advisor Chris Grose answers your questions about how they might work

The get out of jail free card

Associations that enter into leases with councils must beware as authorities have a get-out clause, says Jacqueline Knox, director at Wragge & Co

Ageing sustainably

By 2020 China will have more than 260 million people over the age of 65. Here, Jess McCabe gets a glimpse at how the country plans to house some of them in a giant, retirement eco-city

Caught out

Social landlords should consider instructing investigators when they suspect fraud, say Samantha Darlington and Neil Lawlor