Civil Service Reform

Report by committee of MPs says UK government is "in a world-leading position" on open data – but could be "proactively identifying data sharing opportunities to break departmental data silos"

When good ideas emerge, the public sector should seize on them, give them money – and publicise the civil servants who have dreamed them up. 

English devolution is a journey without a clear destination – producing a long overdue rebalancing of power, but within continuing tight financial constraints

Home Office's top official tells CSW his ongoing review of the core department will see its headquarters "delayered" and its "management structures simplified" in a bid to better to support the frontline and learn from other departments

Transport department has improved its ability to let rail franchises, MPs say, but still lacks the capability to manage them, and does not have a “coherent strategic vision” for the rail system

Rolling out text alerts, sorting out "crap" government IT, cleaning up data, and trying to recruit skilled people when the money's tight — there's plenty going on in the world of government digital, as Matt Foster found at the Government Digital Service's annual gathering

Latest Outsourcing Index by firm arvato finds 26% year-on-year rise in government spending on outsourcing

As the civil service vows to improve the diversity of its graduate intake, former senior official Andrew Greenway asks whether Oxford's famed PPE degree is really a golden ticket to the top of the political and administrative elite 

90% of business department's sites to close under BIS 2020 programme, says Sajid Javid, as Martin Donnelly calls decision to shut Sheffield office "one of the most difficult" of his career

Crossrail, the capital’s new east-west rail link, is on track to open on time and on budget. As well as being a boon for commuters, it could also improve the UK’s reputation for delivering major infrastructure projects. Colin Marrs digs around for some lessons

Treasury consultation confirms plans for wide-ranging shake-up of exit terms – with the FDA union branding the proposals an "ideological attack on public servants"

Common Technology Services chief Andy Beale to become deputy CTO – as government prepares to unveil digital strategy for the next four years

Government hails major savings on government estate since 2010 and sets out plans to go further - but the PCS union warns "vital local services" will be undermined

Cabinet Office-commissioned report finds flagship Fast Stream graduate programme remains “unrepresentative of the population at large”, as minister Matt Hancock vows to take action

Reducing reliance on consultants and temps will require "much more fundamental workforce transformation" than seen so far, civil service chief John Manzoni tells MPs. But he says the organisation is "on the road" to addressing the problem

In correspondence seen by CSW, HMRC chief Lin Homer defends "robust and transparent approach" to redundancies – but "outraged​" PCS union says department has failed to consider all options

Chief secretary to the Treasury Greg Hands says his department’s five-strand programme – designed to put finance at the heart of government decision-making – is on course and delivering results

New research shows Whitehall departments are good at sharing data with each other, but openness with the wider public sector is more of a challenge

Civil servants will always need to be honest, impartial, objective, and act with integrity – but we must make sure we don’t encourage passivity or inertia

"Contingent Labour One" will be replaced with a "Temporary Worker Contracting Vehicle", as CCS places heavy focus on digital skills and hints at smaller lots

FDA and Prospect urge the Senior Salaries Review Body to back a front-loaded 4% payrise and warn of "divisive" attempts to boost the pay of only a limited number of specialists

As the government's chief scientist says Blockchain technology could "revolutionise services", Jeni Tennison of the Open Data Institute examines some of the benefits to the public sector in taking a leaf out of Bitcoin's book

Majority of departments will be asked to create new apprenticeships equivalent to 2.3% of their overall staffing levels, BIS confirms

Most officials will be aware of cases where “perverse incentives” hamper better service delivery. Joshua Chambers takes a global view of how corporate cannibalism and bare-faced theft can be a recipe for success