Connecting policy and delivery: How Sheffield is getting stuck into the opportunity mission
15 Oct Civil Service Reform

Connecting policy and delivery: How Sheffield is getting stuck into the opportunity mission

Earlier this year, ministers announced plans for a new grassroots approach to policymaking for the opportunity mission – focused on South Yorkshire but aiming to influence the whole nation. Jim Dunton finds out more
by Jim Dunton
Going, going, gong: Five minutes with King's birthday honours recipient Rose Moore
15 Oct HR
Going, going, gong: Five minutes with King's birthday honours recipient Rose Moore
Going, going, gong: Five minutes with King's birthday honours recipient Richard Taylor
14 Oct Local & Devolved
Going, going, gong: Five minutes with King's birthday honours recipient Richard Taylor
Whitehall's nomad: The story of the Treasury buildings
13 Oct Economics
Whitehall's nomad: The story of the Treasury buildings
Serve and protect: An interview with Trade Remedies Authority chair Nick Baird
20 Feb
Serve and protect: An interview with Trade Remedies Authority chair Nick Baird
Cheaper imports for consumers or protection for domestic industries? Baird explains how he is guiding the new organisation through a dynamic but delicate policy area
Q&A: Civil service commissioner Atul Devani
18 Feb HR
Q&A: Civil service commissioner Atul Devani
Serial entrepreneur Atul Devani has been part of the Civil Service Commission for just over two years. He tells CSW about his background and role
Six things we've learned about the prisons capacity crisis this year
17 Feb Justice & Home Affairs
Six things we've learned about the prisons capacity crisis this year
Secure estate has £2.8bn maintenance backlog, while a contractor's demise will add £300m to the core building programme
Book review: The Mind of The Minister provides expert guidance on repairing relations between ministers and officials
14 Feb Civil Service Reform
Book review: The Mind of The Minister provides expert guidance on repairing relations between ministers and officials
Rich in insight and anecdote, the book shows politicians and officials are bound together – and sometimes thriving – whether they like it or not
From embassy to enterprise: Former Foreign Office perm sec Simon Fraser on founding a start-up
11 Feb Foreign Affairs
From embassy to enterprise: Former Foreign Office perm sec Simon Fraser on founding a start-up
Sir Simon Fraser, the founder of Flint Global, talks to CSW about moving from the civil service to the private sector, and the importance of being calm in a crisis
Why new Treasury rules on estimating fraud and error could help drive savings
07 Feb Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
Why new Treasury rules on estimating fraud and error could help drive savings
New Treasury guidance requires that departments report on the total level of loss across their programmes. Here's why it matters and how the NAO can help
We ran England's first citizens' jury on assisted dying – here's what we learnt
07 Feb Social Research
We ran England's first citizens' jury on assisted dying – here's what we learnt
The Nuffield Council on Bioethics used a citizens’ jury to gather evidence on the increasingly politicised debate on assisted dying. Danielle Hamm explains
Breaking up is hard to do: What makes a machinery of government change successful?
05 Feb Civil Service Reform
Breaking up is hard to do: What makes a machinery of government change successful?
MoG changes – what are they good for? We look back on 20 years of what some Whitehall watchers affectionately call “rearranging the deckchairs” to see what’s worked, and what’s been a waste of time and money
Collaboration up, efficiency and productivity down: What we learnt from the 2024 Civil Service People Survey
04 Feb HR
Collaboration up, efficiency and productivity down: What we learnt from the 2024 Civil Service People Survey
CSW delves deeper into this year's survey to find some of the most interesting results
Community spirit: MHCLG's Sarah Healey on missions, Grenfell and place-based policymaking
03 Feb
Community spirit: MHCLG's Sarah Healey on missions, Grenfell and place-based policymaking
In her first CSW interview as perm sec at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Sarah Healey shares her thoughts on changes ahead, and her tips for keeping worries at bay
Civil servants – we want you to tell us what you really think
31 Jan Civil Service Reform
Civil servants – we want you to tell us what you really think
CSW and Reform launch The Alternative People Survey
What do senior women leaders wish they could tell their younger selves?
30 Jan HR
What do senior women leaders wish they could tell their younger selves?
You don’t need to be brave on your own – and other findings from a recent study
Coach's corner: Tips from an executive coach and former director general
29 Jan HR
Coach's corner: Tips from an executive coach and former director general
Executive coach and former senior civil servant Peter Shaw on his time in government, the common mistake new leaders make and his advice for getting on in the workplace
Why the civil service should do more to protect its institutional memory
27 Jan HR
Why the civil service should do more to protect its institutional memory
As churn rates fuel a new era of amnesia, Susan Allott asks if we can ever escape from Groundhog Day
'The passion for public service is extraordinary’: Fiona Ryland is inspired by civil servants – but not kitchen appliances
24 Jan HR
'The passion for public service is extraordinary’: Fiona Ryland is inspired by civil servants – but not kitchen appliances
Government chief people officer also sets out key recruitment aims for the year ahead
Arrested development: Interview with former DFID perm sec Mark Lowcock
23 Jan Foreign Affairs
Arrested development: Interview with former DFID perm sec Mark Lowcock
CSW speaks to Mark Lowcock, the longest-serving perm sec of the Department for International Development, about the rise and fall of the department – and what could come next
DSIT blueprint unpacks vision for 'new' Government Digital Service
22 Jan Civil Service Reform
DSIT blueprint unpacks vision for 'new' Government Digital Service
Policy paper targets "ensuring" government's pay offer for digital professionals is "competitive within the market"
Going for growth: But will Labour's plan work?
16 Jan Economics
Going for growth: But will Labour's plan work?
It’s central to all their missions, but is growth going well for Labour? And does it look set to improve?
The civil servant who spied for the Soviet Union for 15 years – MI5 files declassified
16 Jan Foreign Affairs
The civil servant who spied for the Soviet Union for 15 years – MI5 files declassified
Infamous Soviet spy and former FCDO, Cabinet Office and HMT official’s first confession made public
Read the winter 2025 issue of Civil Service World
15 Jan Civil Service Reform
Read the winter 2025 issue of Civil Service World
An exclusive interview with MHCLG perm sec Sarah Healey, a profile of the new cab sec and highlights of our annual perm secs round-up
'Modest, confident and fearless': A profile of new cabinet secretary Sir Chris Wormald
14 Jan HR
'Modest, confident and fearless': A profile of new cabinet secretary Sir Chris Wormald
CSW speaks to Wormald's former colleagues to find out what makes the new cab sec tick, what he can bring to the role and whether he's someone you'd have a beer with
'Innovation can come from anyone, anywhere': The projects to watch in this year's One Big Thing
13 Jan Digital, Data & Technology
'Innovation can come from anyone, anywhere': The projects to watch in this year's One Big Thing
This year’s One Big Thing is focused on helping civil servants be more innovative. Here, the Cabinet Office sets out the projects already underway and how you can take part
Why the Covid Inquiry needs to hear from more civil servants
06 Jan Coronavirus
Why the Covid Inquiry needs to hear from more civil servants
Ben Connah reflects on a first full year of hearings and how officials can help inform ongoing work
'We can do great things when we work together': The best of the 2024 perm secs roundup
02 Jan Leadership
'We can do great things when we work together': The best of the 2024 perm secs roundup
CSW’s perm secs round-up for 2024 provided insight from leaders across government looking back on a year of historic change. Here are some of the themes and highlights