A refreshed civil service code is needed – but people skills must not be disregarded in favour of delivery
19 May Civil Service Reform

A refreshed civil service code is needed – but people skills must not be disregarded in favour of delivery

The dominance of delivery-speak crowds out space for reflection, listening and empathy
by Kate Sturdy
Establishing Great British Railways is a good start – but it’s no silver bullet
16 Jun Transport
Establishing Great British Railways is a good start – but it’s no silver bullet
Forget the official line – tell us what Whitehall really thinks
15 Jun Civil Service Reform
Forget the official line – tell us what Whitehall really thinks
Institutional memory: The battles behind defence spending
12 Jun Security & Defence
Institutional memory: The battles behind defence spending
Building whole-society resilience Partner Content
16 Jun Leadership
Building whole-society resilience
As geopolitical tensions rise and pressure on public services grows, how can the UK build greater resilience? Fiona Walters, CEO of Serco UK & Europe, explains why a whole-society approach will depend on closer collaboration between government, business and the third sector
Four lessons on citizen experience from Sunderland – one of the UK's smartest cities Partner Content
15 Jun Operational Delivery
Four lessons on citizen experience from Sunderland – one of the UK's smartest cities
In the latest episode of It’s Personal, the CSW podcast series with KPMG, Sunderland Council's Director of Smart Cities, Liz St Louis, revealed how she and her colleagues are putting residents at the heart of public service design
Helping carers to reach their potential in the civil service – what’s improved and what needs to get better?
11 Jun HR
Helping carers to reach their potential in the civil service – what’s improved and what needs to get better?
A new survey of carers who work in the civil service shows there has been positive change in the last five years, but some employers have a way to go
Social value in infrastructure: Five years on, are we delivering on the promise? Partner Content
10 Jun Project Delivery
Social value in infrastructure: Five years on, are we delivering on the promise?
Social value has been a mandatory consideration in public procurement for half a decade now, but is policy intent translating into outcomes for infrastructure projects? Luke Ellis and Jess Bates look at a programme delivered by AtkinsRéalis at Liverpool Central Station that could be a template for the future
The ministerial-civil service relations reset hasn’t gone to plan – but Labour still has time left to get it right
09 Jun Civil Service Reform
The ministerial-civil service relations reset hasn’t gone to plan – but Labour still has time left to get it right
Here are the steps both sides should take to begin repairing the relationship
The government's overreliance on firms like Palantir is undermining its vision for a truly digital state
09 Jun Security & Defence
The government's overreliance on firms like Palantir is undermining its vision for a truly digital state
Without domestic capability the UK can never become a sovereign digital state
Reform UK have decided the civil service is not to be trusted – weakness is at the heart of this irrational fear
05 Jun Civil Service Reform
Reform UK have decided the civil service is not to be trusted – weakness is at the heart of this irrational fear
Danny Kruger's plans are not radical, they are ideological group think
The pay remit isn’t perfect – but within the framework we can still put money in officials’ pockets
03 Jun HR
The pay remit isn’t perfect – but within the framework we can still put money in officials’ pockets
Prospect deputy general secretary's takeaways from this year's pay remit guidance
What does “Green Book compliant” in social value measurement really mean? Partner Content
03 Jun
What does “Green Book compliant” in social value measurement really mean?
The phrase “Green Book compliant” is now everywhere in social value reporting. Dr Daniel Fujiwara, who wrote the Green Book’s Valuation Chapters and Supplementary Guidelines, sets out what it really demands of the analysts producing the numbers and the officials relying on them
Milburn has diagnosed the NEET crisis – but can the state provide the cure?
02 Jun Civil Service Reform
Milburn has diagnosed the NEET crisis – but can the state provide the cure?
Milburn's recommendations in the autumn will have little impact unless machinery is built to own the whole problem, sustaining action across departments
Believe me, modernising the civil service is easier said than done
01 Jun Civil Service Reform
Believe me, modernising the civil service is easier said than done
Alex Case draws on his own experience as an ex-senior civil servant to argue that while AI could transform public services, meaningful reform still faces deep-seated barriers
Navigating the polycrisis: Why trusted evidence matters more than ever Partner Content
01 Jun Policy
Navigating the polycrisis: Why trusted evidence matters more than ever
As policymakers grapple with overlapping crises and mounting public scepticism, robust evidence can provide a vital anchor for decision-making. The challenge is identifying what to trust, how to interpret it and how to apply it effectively. Writes Sarah Chaytor, Co-Founder, co-chair and director of programmes at Universities Policy Engagement Network
Why Defra is where you should want to work
29 May Energy & Environment
Why Defra is where you should want to work
There is no more important department in Whitehall, says Defra perm sec Paul Kissack
Two nuclear missions, one ecosystem: Aligning Britain’s energy and security ambitions Partner Content
29 May Energy & Environment
Two nuclear missions, one ecosystem: Aligning Britain’s energy and security ambitions
Delivering the UK's ambitions for both energy and national security will require a more coordinated approach to managing the nation's nuclear capability, write AtkinsRéalis' Jason Dreisbach, growth director for power new build, and Richard McMeekin, technical director for defence infrastructure
Why government can’t afford to keep outsourcing capability Partner Content
26 May Digital, Data & Technology
Why government can’t afford to keep outsourcing capability
As Whitehall looks to deliver £14bn in savings, Tecknuovo argues government must stop outsourcing capability and instead build digital skills in-house to reduce dependency, cut costs and deliver lasting value
A pattern of major infrastructure mistakes – and a Spending Review that could break it
22 May Finance
A pattern of major infrastructure mistakes – and a Spending Review that could break it
Reversing commitments, even when circumstances change beyond recognition, is extraordinarily difficult
Citizen experience is flatlining. Can a system shift change that? Partner Content
21 May Operational Delivery
Citizen experience is flatlining. Can a system shift change that?
A new report from KPMG shows public sector citizen experience scores have barely moved over the past five years. In a recent Civil Service World webinar, senior leaders from the Home Office and NHS England joined KPMG’s Jo Thomson to discuss what can be done to shift the dial
Rehashing deliverology is insufficient: A response to Darren Jones’ delivery teams plan
20 May Civil Service Reform
Rehashing deliverology is insufficient: A response to Darren Jones’ delivery teams plan
The centre seeks to do too much – an expansion of Michael Barber's Blair-era delivery approach only compounds this problem
New faces locally, same challenges nationally Partner Content
20 May Leadership
New faces locally, same challenges nationally
When councils change hands, what happens to national delivery? Adele Gritten, chief executive of Local Partnerships, looks at how local election results can reset priorities and create both risks and opportunities for government
What can departments learn from DfT’s encouraging progress on innovation?
18 May Digital, Data & Technology
What can departments learn from DfT’s encouraging progress on innovation?
The NAO's dig into DfT’s efforts to support the uptake of new technology reveals valuable lessons on the building blocks of successful innovation
AI only works well if the foundations are strong – and many organisations are still dealing with outdated systems
15 May Digital, Data & Technology
AI only works well if the foundations are strong – and many organisations are still dealing with outdated systems
Governing AI in a fast changing world: What questions should audit and risk committees be asking departments?
Civil service pensions: You don’t have to look too far to find a better-run scheme
13 May Analysis
Civil service pensions: You don’t have to look too far to find a better-run scheme
When it comes to running civil service pension schemes, in-house staff have an ethos that private sector providers cannot match
Efficient case management needs seamless journeys Partner Content
13 May Digital, Data & Technology
Efficient case management needs seamless journeys
What are the challenges that can prevent case management systems from delivering sustained efficiency? And what can organisations do differently to address them?
When restraint makes government more efficient Partner Content
12 May Digital, Data & Technology
When restraint makes government more efficient
Government efficiency is usually framed as doing more, faster. The more useful question is where government action actually changes outcomes, and where it does not.