Spending review could lead to improved public services

The
Work Foundation says the Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review may lead to
better public services.

John
Knell, director of research at the Work Foundation (formerly The Industrial
Society) said: "The Chancellor has rightly made a commitment to devolve
power in the public services to the front line.

"Without
significant devolution to the front line, true customer focus in our public
services will remain an abstract concept. 
Those who are delivering in the front line are often in a better
position to know what the customer needs and how best to deliver it.

"The
missing pieces of the jigsaw in the quest for better public services remain
reward and motivation.  This means
better pay for some, but also organisation, incentivisation and
leadership.  Only when these pieces are
in place will we see the increases in productivity and performance we all desire.

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"The
question that remains is whether Whitehall can develop enough trust to reduce
their over-reliance on target-setting and allow public sector managers the
autonomy they need to innovate and develop creative workforce solutions to meet
the challenges ahead."

By Quentin Reade