public sector

The commission on the future delivery of public services: financial scrutiny unit briefing

The report of the Commission on the Future Delivery of Public Services (also known as the Christie Commission after its chair, Dr Campbell Christie CBE) was published on 29 June 2011.

This briefing provides background to the establishment of the Commission, a summary of its main conclusions and recommendations, and outlines some initial reaction to the report.

Open Public Services White Paper

Paper that explains just how reforms give power to those who have been overlooked and under-served. It will demonstrate that it is only by publishing data on how public services do their jobs that power can be wrested out of the hands of highly paid officials and given back to the people. The reforms will mean that the poorest will be at the front of the queue.

Leading together: an analysis of leadership activity and development needs in Scotland's social services

The Changing Lives Report (Scottish Executive, 2006) highlighted the need for leadership at all levels within the social services workforce. The Leadership and Management subgroup of the review made recommendations for a leadership and management development framework which ‘should make explicit common qualities and behaviours that are required of all leaders and managers in a public sector context, but also identify whether there are additional or specific needs for the social service context’ (Leadership and Management subgroup, 2005).

Resourceful leadership: how directors of children's services improve outcomes for children

Leading for Outcomes is a unique study into senior leadership in children's services in England, drawing on in-depth primary research with leaders in eight local authorities, and 22 directors of children's services. The eight local authorities were selected on a range of factors but primarily to represent existing high performers or rapidly improving authorities in terms of outcomes. The research was commissioned by the National College in partnership with C4EO, and completed by a team comprising Deloitte, Navigate and the University of Oxford. The study was completed during 2010.

Effective User Involvement

Part of the Iriss What Works: Putting Research Into Practice series, Peter Beresford discusses how user involvement in public service design and management has been widely promoted as a means of improving the quality and responsiveness of services. It focuses particularly on the role of the user in service planning. The event was held on 20th January, 2010.