Leadership

Simon Case and Katrina Williams join the UK Permanent Representation to the European Union, as government prepares to issue Article 50 notification

Institute for Government report highlights “persistent weaknesses” that cause costly policy churn, prescribing a stronger role for MPs and the centre of government to stop unnecessary changes and secure institutional memory

New appointments in the civil service, UK politics, and public affairs, via our colleagues at Dods People

Alexandra Jones set to leave Centre for Cities to take up new role

Watchdog’s anger follows government response to committee’s Grimstone Review findings

Departmental chiefs must work to create an environment that’s good for body and mind

Union calls for independent review of pay as it warns that maintaining a 1% cap on pay rises is “unsustainable”

New appointments in the civil service, UK politics, and public affairs, via our colleagues at Dods People

Internal appointments come ahead of expansion of the public spending watchdog’s remit

With the appointment of Mark Sedwill, Britain is now on its fourth national security adviser since 2010. Dr Joe Devanny asks whether such churn at the top really makes for effective government

New Institute for Government report highlights key frictions between political leaders and Whitehall, including poor drafting and a lack of understanding of parliament

FDA general secretary Dave Penman takes the former Cabinet Office minister to task after he said civil servants in line departments rely too heavily on jargon and management skills to get by

Civil service's head of executive recruitment tells CSW that new online recruitment tool – Applied – will focus on increasing diversity and speeding up the sifting process

After the merger of DECC and BIS, the new Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy's permanent secretary Alex Chisholm tells CSW that his department's low ranking for "organisational objectives and purpose" will be addressed in the next Civil Service People Survey

New appointments in the civil service, UK politics, and public affairs, via our colleagues at Dods People

Chief people officer Rupert McNeil (pictured) says current recruitment technology is “40 or 50 years out of date”

Civil service chief John Manzoni says good relationships between departments and their agencies are built on "trust, clarity of accountability" and a "shared understanding of purpose and outcomes"

Tory former Cabinet Office heavyweight heaps praise on staff at the centre of government – but hits out at civil service churn, the quality of advice, and the skills valued in line departments

Cressida Dick set to leave Foreign Office director general role to return to policing

Dames Stella Rimington and Ursula Brennan among a group of female leaders who gathered at Buckingham Palace to mark growing number of women joining top ranks of civil service

New appointments in the civil service, UK politics, and public affairs, via our colleagues on Dods People

Report claims Sir Jeremy Heywood secured extra £250m for health service with ultimatum

Most of the challenges the Workforce Plan purports to tackle are ones that Whitehall has bumped up against for decades. Perhaps it's time to start interrogating the civil service's Victorian structures – rather than simply adding layers of reform on top, argues Andrew Greenway

Whitehall & Industry Group accolade lauds “exemplary leadership” driven by cross-sector learning