It's no surprise to hear debates about localism at the Liberal Democrat party conference – it’s a central tenant of their identity. One key theme this year seemed to be the crucial link between power and money.
 At a fringe discussion on planning reforms, one audience member complained of central government’s reluctance to devolve meaningful financial powers to councils, and his point was supported by Stephen Gilbert MP, who said he was hoping for “fairly radical... Read full post

Public spending cuts are in the news today, as the first five departments agree their resource spending ahead of next month’s spending review.Actually, perhaps that’s a little misleading. Public spending cuts – and, by implication, public service cuts – have been in the  news almost every day for weeks now, and we can expect them to remain there for years to come as cuts are speculated about, campaigned against, announced and, eventually, as their results are felt... Read full post

At the Liberal Democrat party conference yesterday,  Nick Clegg spoke about giving councils more power about how they raise and spend funds, but the party of local power does not seem convinced by the coalition’s attitude to localism.At a debate on setting the ‘yellow lines in public service cuts’, the loudest applause was for an audience member who declared communities minister Eric Pickles, self-proclaimed champion of localism, to be a ‘nutcase’. ... Read full post

 As those of you who keep abreast of select committee calendars will be aware, the Public Administration Select Committee is currently holding an evidence session on the Civil Service Compensation Scheme. Those of you with some time to kill may wish to watch the session here.
 
 
I shall be watching with interest as I’m meeting with Bernard Jenkin MP, chair of the committee, tomorrow and will be keen to find out his opinion on the likelihood of a negotiated... Read full post

The Prime Minister wants civil servants to be bolder about taking risks . He is not alone in this, nor is he the first to express such a hope.
 
But when a civil servant is deciding how much risk to accept in a new policy, service or project, it is probably not the memory of Cameron’s speech which will fill their mind. Instead, they may well be swayed by the fear, should their risk fail to pay off, of a public and career-damaging castigation from a select committee or the National... Read full post

Delegates at the first day of Civil Service Live were a little subdued: they had heard about Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude’s plans to introduce rather drastic changes to redundancy payments, and awaited his speech with a sort of fascinated dread. When he spoke in the afternoon, people who couldn’t get into the room crowded by the door and pressed their ears up against thin partition walls to hear his plans for their future.
 
But today there is a different air,... Read full post