Civil servants 'need council experience'

摘要

Local government minister, John Healey, this week fleshed-out his proposal to force senior Whitehall staff to work at a council or another public body to improve their delivery skills. Writing in The MJ, Mr Healey said he wants to 'explore the case for requiring all civil servants to spend time out in the field before they can reach the most senior positions in Whitehall'. Mr Healey wants all grade 3 civil servants - two rungs below permanent secretary - to demonstrate 'significant delivery and operational management experience'. It follows criticism, made by the Cabinet Office's departmental capability reviews of Whitehall departments, that key education, welfare and criminal justice services were poorly delivered, despite good policy planning.