Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Department for Business and Trade (DBT)Latest NewsEconomics, government & businessHR practiceLeadership

Capability reviews expose DTI, Department for Communities and Local Government, and Cabinet Office delivery failures

by Mike Berry 14 Dec 2006
by Mike Berry 14 Dec 2006

Second-tier government departments are failing to deliver despite strong leadership, according to the second round of capability reviews published by cabinet secretary Sir Gus O’Donnell.

Reviews of the performance of the DTI, the Department for Communities and Local Government, and the Cabinet Office have been released alongside a summary paper on the key themes emerging from all of the reviews so far.

O’Donnell also announced the creation of a Civil Service Steering Board of senior permanent secretaries and non-executives to oversee the transformation of the service and employee relations.

Capability reviews were announced for all government departments in October 2005.

O’Donnell said: “Our challenge is to raise the whole of the Civil Service to the level of the very best: building a culture of excellence everywhere in the service. 

“We have to improve management at the top, through rigorous performance management and intervention where necessary. We must listen to what those who use public services are saying to us. We have to improve our own capability and skills. And we need to drive improvements in quality.”

Commenting on the three new reviews, O’Donnell said: “The first set of reviews was of four big delivery departments. The second are about smaller departments where the key is not just delivery but influence.

“Perhaps it’s not a surprise that the scores on delivery are slightly lower than in the first set [of reviews], although the scores on leadership are strong. The reports show each department has had much success to celebrate in all its core areas.”

O’Donnell said he had been encouraged by the “strong response” from the departments.

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

The first four reviews were published in July and covered the Home Office, the Departments for Constitutional Affairs, the Department for Education and Skills, and the Department for Work and Pensions.

The capability reviews of  the Department for Culture, Media and Sport; the Ministry of Defence; the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; the Foreign and Commonwealth Office; and the Department for International Development will be published in spring 2007.

Mike Berry

previous post
Finding and keeping top talent are biggest HR concerns for New Year
next post
Number of jobless people in UK falls to 1.7 million as earnings rise by 3.9% on previous quarter

You may also like

Company director wins £15k after being told to...

4 Jul 2025

Skills shortfall in construction threatens housing target

4 Jul 2025

MPs demand Home Office tightens visas to protect...

4 Jul 2025

It’s all about the Monet: how art transforms...

3 Jul 2025

Stop chasing quick fixes: return to the office...

3 Jul 2025

Asda hails major upgrade in employees’ benefits

3 Jul 2025

100% success for latest large-scale four-day week trial

3 Jul 2025

NHS 10-year Health Plan sets out vision for...

3 Jul 2025

Microsoft to cut 9,000 jobs globally as role...

3 Jul 2025

Decline in workplace deaths: falls from height remain...

3 Jul 2025

  • Empowering working parents and productivity during the summer holidays SPONSORED | Businesses play a...Read more
  • AI is here. Your workforce should be ready. SPONSORED | From content creation...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+