FOR SENIOR MANAGERS AND PROFESSIONALS

AUTUMN 2017

The long shadow of Grenfell Is the British state too weak to protect us?

Brexit blues A DExEU official speaks out in our new ‘open mic’ column

@FDA_union @We_are_keystone

Heading for the frontline Jonathan Slater on DfE’s 7,000-school challenge

In this issue Don’t forget you can follow your union on Twitter @FDA_union @We_are_keystone

Welcome

Craig Ryan, Editor At the root of the many problems public servants face – underfunding, pay restraint, staff shortages, overstretch – is one fundamental question. Do 19 26 ministers value public service at all? Do they value expert, independent advice and people who work for no other News 4 Features purpose than to benefit the community as Backward steps on civil service Interview: Jonathan Slater 16 a whole? And do they see the limitations redundancy; Patel allies “peddling The Permanent Secretary of the on what private companies, with their myths on civil service pay”; Court scraps Department for Education speaks to short-term focus on shareholder value, tribunal fees; MPs to probe Whitehall’s PSM’s Matt Ross.. can do? Brexit capacity; Review body calls for As Matt Foster reports on page 19, The long shadow of Grenfell 19 “full overhaul” of SCS pay; TUC 2017: the Grenfell Towers tragedy is a stark Matt Foster on the searching questions reminder of what can happen when the unions back FDA call for new civil facing politicians and public servants state loses the capacity to protect its most service settlement. following the tragic fire in North vulnerable citizens. If ministers do value Plus: our round-up of the latest civil Kensington. public service (and we’re heading for a service starters, movers and leavers. very dark place if they don’t) they need to The Equalisers 22 put aside outdated ideological prejudices My working life 10 and start rebuilding the capacity of the Australia and Canada lead the world state. And that begins with fair rewards A Grade 7 FDA member tells us why she when it comes to women in top civil and reasonable workloads for all public came back to the civil service and what service jobs. Matt Ross and Tania Mason servants. If public service is worth doing, she finds most frustrating at work. ask what the UK can learn from them. it’s worth doing well. Meet the FDA 24 FDA Learn 11 Published by FDA Two members of the FDA staff talk Neil Rider explains how FDA Learn is Elizabeth House, 39 York Road, London SE1 7NQ about themselves and the work they do T: 020 7401 5555 helping members forge their own path for FDA members. www.fda.org.uk | [email protected] to the Senior Civil Service.

Acting Editor – Craig Ryan Books 26 T: 01453 828888 | [email protected] Organising 12 John Bew’s classy biography of Clement FDA Organiser Alan Bailey urges Staff writers – Tommy Newell, Matt Foster Attlee; Paul Goodwin’s exposé on the T: 020 7401 5588 | [email protected] members to raise the FDA’s profile in the forecasting business, plus our selection workplace. Design – Chapman Design of other recent reads. T: 01273 236932 | [email protected] Plus: reports from Civil Service Live 2017 Members’ small ads 28 Advertising – Simon Briant Opinion 14 SDB Marketing T: 01273 594455 | [email protected] Calum Miller explains how a new index Crossword 29 of civil service performance shows Printers – Captiv8 UK Ltd T: 01892 611500 www.captiv8uk.co.uk where Whitehall needs to up its game. Back channel 30 Plus: FDA General Secretary Dave Our new ‘open mic’ slot: A DExEU official All articles © Public Service Magazine 2017 or the author. The contents may not be reproduced without permission. Writers’ Penman makes the case for a new deal takes issue with staff shortages and a views are not necessarily those of Public Service Magazine or the FDA. ISSN 1460-8936 on civil service pay. lack of political direction on Brexit.

Public Service Magazine Autumn 2017 3 News

Share your news with us at [email protected]

Redundancy budgets. “This is a major backwards step. This new consultation proposes worse terms Compensation Scheme changes than those negotiated by the FDA and seven other unions last year, and removes “a backwards step” a series of hard-won protections,” said FDA Assistant General Secretary Naomi New Cabinet Office proposals for changes members voted 89% in favour of Cooke. to the Civil Service Compensation accepting the final offer in a ballot late “The FDA chose to take part in the 2016 Scheme (CSCS) are a “major backwards last year. negotiations to avoid the imposition of step” which will remove hard-won Rather than appeal against the High more stringent terms by the Government, protections negotiated by unions last Court decision, the Cabinet Office is securing a series of concessions in the year, the FDA says. now seeking to reintroduce its original final round of negotiations which have The Cabinet Office published a proposals, including capping voluntary all now been dropped from these latest consultation paper in September on exit and voluntary redundancy proposals. fresh changes to the scheme – which payments at 15 months’ salary, rather “We are adamant that the new CSCS determines redundancy pay and than the 18 months’ agreed last year. should be no worse than the reformed terms for all civil servants – after a The consultation proposals also align scheme which was agreed in good faith legal challenge led by the Public and compensation for exit on efficiency and was backed by 89% of our members Commercial Services Union (PCS) grounds to compulsory redundancy in a ballot last year. We will be making resulted in the 2016 scheme being terms, meaning these payments are robust representations to the Cabinet overturned in the High Court. capped at nine months' salary with no Office to honour the 2016 agreement.” Although highly critical of the early access to pension. Government’s decision to revisit the The Cabinet Office has meanwhile The FDA will keep members kept up-to- Compensation Scheme in 2016, the FDA made clear that the costs of delay to date with developments on the CSCS and seven other unions had secured a current exit schemes – as well as the by email. If you are not receiving these range of concessions from the Cabinet costs of recalculation – will have to updates, let us know by emailing info@ Office on its original proposals. FDA be found from existing departmental fda.org.uk.

Patel’s allies Development Secretary demonstrates a blatant disregard for the Government’s own “peddling myths” research. on civil service pay, “The source peddles tired myths about says FDA public sector perks and claims that pay is ‘out of step with many other comparable The FDA has accused allies of International external roles’ – despite the Government’s Development Secretary Priti Patel of figures showing that Directors General "peddling myths" on civil service pay after earn 62% less than their private sector a report in the Daily Telegraph claimed counterparts.” she believed salaries were “too high” and The FDA General Secretary said he took needed to be “restrained”. particular exception to the “dismissive” The Telegraph said “sources close to” claim that civil servants would accept pay Patel had described senior civil service cuts because they are not going to "walk salaries as “crazy” and claimed they were into better paid jobs in the real world”. “way out of line with public opinion”. "The Government’s own analysis shows FDA General Secretary Dave Penman continue to do their best to serve the public that many of them are now choosing to do condemned allies of Patel for taking the despite such attacks. just that,” Penman added. “More than half “easy option of briefing against those who Penman said: “This latest of all Senior Civil Servants who quit last can't answer back” and defended members misrepresentation of public sector pay year cited pay as a significant reason for who, due to their "sense of public duty", will from ‘sources close to’ the International their exit.”

4 Public Service Magazine Autumn 2017 News

FDA in the media

July

The FDA wrote to three cabinet ministers who had expressed sympathy with the idea of ending the public sector pay cap, challenging them to take immediate action to raise the pay of staff in their own departments. Put your money where your mouth is on public sector pay, union tells ministers MAIL ONLINE Johnson and Gove must give more than ‘warm words’ to Whitehall staff needing Reform a pay rise, say senior civil servants THE INDEPENDENT Jeremy Corbyn says government Maude “undermining legacy” ‘floundering’ on pay cap BBC NEWS with Whitehall attacks FDA union urges ministers to ‘put money where their mouth is’ to end The FDA has hit back at renewed attacks recognise. The civil service, like all large Whitehall pay cap on the civil service by former Cabinet organisations, has institutional failings CIVIL SERVICE WORLD Office Minister Lord Maude, warning and frustrating bureaucracies, but to his “disingenuous” remarks risked paint a picture of these as commonplace The FDA’s response to the Senior undermining his legacy as a reformer. and routine is disingenuous, and perhaps Salaries Review Body’s latest report In a Westminster speech, the reflects more on Lord Maude’s own was covered by a broad range of outlets, Conservative peer – who left government fraught relationship with individuals. with Assistant General Secretary in 2015 after five years at the Cabinet “The civil service continues to deliver Naomi Cooke saying reform of SCS pay Office – accused senior civil servants of more for less and is blessed with a “needs to be fully funded and it needs to frequently misleading ministers, and talented and committed cadre of public happen soon”. argued that “too often promotions are servants,” Penman explained. “It’s those Tory government’s own pay experts made on the basis of personal patronage civil servants who actually delivered the blast 1% cap and warn it’s becoming and time-serving rather than on merit £50bn of efficiencies Lord Maude is keen difficult to do their job and talent” – a practice he dubbed to talk about – all while maintaining the THE MIRROR “turkey farming”. quality of vital public services. Public sector pay: Judges and top civil He also claimed that reforms Penman added: “As a minister with servants get 1% rise introduced on his watch – including a strong reputation for reform, Lord BBC NEWS the launch of the Government Digital Maude’s increasingly personal attacks Service – were now being pared back by on the senior civil service only serve to Public sector pay cap: Government senior officials, who remained resistant undermine his legacy and cannot be attacked by its own experts over 1% to change. excused by adding in a throwaway caveat limit Responding to Lord Maude’s speech, about not attacking individuals.” THE INDEPENDENT FDA General Secretary Dave Penman Public sector pay cap near breaking pointed out that “reform in the civil point, ministers are warned service started long before Lord Maude “The civil service continues THE TIMES arrived at the Cabinet Office and has to deliver more for less and is Public sector pay: Senior civil servants continued after his departure”. blessed with a talented and and judges get below-inflation one per He added: “Lord Maude describes a committed cadre of public cent rise civil service that I, civil servants, and servants” THE EXPRESS I’m sure many ministers, will simply not Dave Penman

Public Service Magazine Autumn 2017 5 News

Parliament MPs to probe Whitehall’s Brexit capability

A cross-party group of MPs has relaunched its wide-ranging inquiry into the civil service, promising to focus heavily on Whitehall’s preparations for Tribunal fees Brexit. scrapped in The Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee landmark court (PACAC) was forced to close its previous ruling inquiry into the effectiveness of the civil service – launched in the last parliament The Government has been forced to scrap – after Prime Minister Theresa May called employment tribunal fees following a a snap election. landmark legal victory for Unison. But an interim report published just The fees, introduced by the coalition before the election said that the extra Government in 2013, meant that workers work required to manage Britain’s exit who had been treated unfairly or illegally from the European Union meant it was were forced to pay up to £1,200 to take “all the more important that the civil their employers to court. service is clear about its mission and Unison took the case to the Supreme role”, and called for an in-depth review Court, with lawyers arguing that the fees of the relationship between ministers had been a huge expense for many low- and officials. paid employees and prevented people The committee also commissioned from gaining justice in the workplace – as a separate report by Professor Andrew “The challenges of Brexit evidenced by the 79% drop in cases Kakabadse of Henley Business are helping to expose where being brought forward after the fees School, who warned ministers against understandings are weak and were introduced. overloading departments. “Too many relationships are strained” The UK’s highest court ruled in favour projects, programmes of activity, Bernard Jenkin of the union, stating that the fees were [and] policy delivery commitments are “inconsistent with access to justice” and being pursued simultaneously with in conflicted with the Equality Act 2010 little chance of successful fruition,” relationships are strained. because they disproportionately affected Kakabadse said. “A common purpose, trust and women. Professor Kakabadse also urged understanding, as well as technical As a result of the victory, the politicians to halt “public criticism of expertise and experience, are so crucial Government is set to refund more than civil servants”, arguing that the practice for the civil service to perform efficiently £27m to claimants in what Unison had damaged the “morale, motivation, and effectively. Both the capability General Secretary Dave Prentis has performance, contribution and quality of of the civil service as a whole, and described as “a major victory for advice” given by officials. the individual relationships between employees everywhere”. With select committees now back up ministers and officials, will impact on Commenting on the ruling, FDA and running following the election, a this effectiveness and the ability of the General Secretary Dave Penman said: “I’d fresh inquiry has been opened by PACAC. civil service to meet its present and future like to congratulate Unison for leading The committee is promising to draw challenges,” Jenkin added. on this issue and ultimately winning this on “extensive interviews with serving Other key questions the committee important victory for workers across the and former ministers, special advisers is set to consider include whether civil country. and civil servants” and says it will servants are being given the right skills “When the fees were introduced, the look specifically at the civil service’s and development opportunities, and FDA took the decision to pay all tribunal “capability and capacity to cope with whether a new “National School for costs on behalf of members, but not leaving the EU”. Public Service” should be set up to everybody has access to this kind of Committee chairman Bernard provide more focused training for staff. support. Jenkin said: “We can be very proud of “Unison’s hard work in pursuing this Whitehall as a whole, and of our civil and For further details visit: bit.ly/ issue means many more people can now diplomatic services, but the challenges psm17-pacac. The deadline for get access to the justice they deserve.” of Brexit are helping to expose where submitting evidence to the inquiry is understandings are weak and where Friday 1 December 2017.

6 Public Service Magazine Autumn 2017 News

Senior pay FDA in Review body calls for a the media “full overhaul” of SCS pay August “It’s little wonder The FDA hit back amid briefings from that more than half allies of International Development those leaving the Secretary Priti Patel about pay levels in SCS last year blamed the Senior Civil Service. pay for their exit” FDA accuses Priti Patel’s allies of Naomi Cooke ‘peddling myths’ on civil service pay CIVIL SERVICE WORLD FDA challenges “too high” civil service pay allegations PUBLIC FINANCE

September The FDA renewed its call for an end to the public sector pay cap and urged The Government has agreed to conduct the current system rather than tinkering the start of meaningful dialogue on a formal review of Senior Civil Service with the annual distribution of a largely the future of civil service pay, amid (SCS) pay, after the Senior Salary Review delegated 1% of the pay bill”. reports that ministers were considering Body (SSRB) called for a “full overhaul” FDA Assistant General Secretary Naomi scrapping the policy. of the current system. Cooke welcomed the Government’s Public sector pay cap: May ‘recognises The SSRB’s 2017 report recommended “belated acceptance” of the need to sacrifices of workers’ the maximum 1% rise for the SCS but review SCS pay but said it should be THE GUARDIAN warned that the current system has “abundantly clear” that this could not be Plan to end pay cap must apply across “serious flaws”. achieved within a “1% straightjacket”. entire civil service, Whitehall unions tell While acknowledging that there was Government figures show that deputy May “no evidence of widespread recruitment directors in the civil service earn 46% less CIVIL SERVICE WORLD and retention problems” the review body than their private sector counterparts – ‘Concrete action’ better than unnamed stressed this “should not be grounds for a figure which rises to a staggering 71% promises over public sector pay lift complacency” as there was a risk that the at director level. Cooke said it was “little PUBLIC SECTOR EXECUTIVE situation could “deteriorate quickly”. wonder” that more than half of those The report also warned that leaving the Senior Civil Service last year FDA General Secretary Dave Penman conversations with senior civil servants blamed pay for their exit. spoke to HuffPost UK’s politics had highlighted a “widespread and She explained: “Our members have team about the leaking of sensitive very deep lack of confidence in the pay delivered billions of pounds of savings government information, explaining system”, and raised concerns that this over the past seven years and now face that while civil servants often get the could demotivate staff and reduce SCS the most complicated political challenge blame, the majority of leaks come from effectiveness. since the Second World War in the form ministers. The FDA’s own survey results, of Brexit. Yet they’ve been rewarded Leaking: How Does It Happen And Why submitted to the SSRB, reflected this with rapidly escalating pension costs, Does It Matter? widespread dissatisfaction: 92% of SCS ever-greater workloads, and ministerial HUFFPOST UK members said they weren’t satisfied with pressure to deliver with the smallest current pay arrangements and only 5.6% workforce since 1939.” Penman also took former Cabinet Office believed the current reward framework is Cooke added: “If ministers really Minister Lord Maude to task for his fit for purpose. want the ‘brightest and best’ staff for renewed criticism of the civil service, The report criticised the 1% pay cap, the challenges ahead, they must tackle telling Civil Service World that the Tory saying it made it difficult for the SSRB to fundamental issues with Senior Civil grandee had painted a gloomy picture “operate effectively”. The review body Service pay. They could start by ditching that many ministers and officials “will said its proposal for a formal review of the 1% cap, ending the divisive practice simply not recognise”. the pay system was its “most important of paying internal promotes less than the Heywood and Manzoni defend civil recommendation for the SCS this year” advertised salary, and properly engaging service from attack by Francis Maude as it believed it “can add more value with staff at a time when their expertise CIVIL SERVICE WORLD through advising on a full overhaul of will be needed more than ever.”

Public Service Magazine Autumn 2017 7 News

Although Downing Street has signalled that there will be “flexibility” on the 1% public sector pay cap from next year, it has suggested any increases in pay will be funded from existing departmental budgets, rather than through additional funding. The FDA’s motion called for “an immediate end to planned cuts” and “full consultation” with trade unions on the additional resources that will be needed to prepare departments for the challenges ahead. Vicky Johnson (pictured) – President of the Association of Revenue and Customs (ARC), which represents FDA members in HM Revenue and Customs – told Congress that the Government could not “cherry-pick” when ending the pay cap, which she said had left many FDA members 20% worse off in real terms than they were in 2010. Johnson also called for action to “put right the flaws” in the current civil service pay system, and she urged the TUC Congress 2017 Government to “put its own house in order before it lectures others” on the gender pay gap. Unions back FDA call for new The ARC President explained how the FDA had recently taken HMRC to civil service settlement the Employment Tribunal to challenge a system in which “women doing the exact same work as men earn sometimes Ministers must wake up and recognise preparing the Great Repeal Bill. It’s thousands of pounds less”. She added: the “crisis of resourcing” facing Britain’s civil servants who are at the heart of “If the pay cap continues, the same issue civil service, the FDA has warned, as negotiating new trade relationships. It’s will manifest itself on an age basis and unions representing workers right across civil servants who will be expected to will need challenging.” the UK backed two FDA motions at TUC transpose EU laws into British ones and Meanwhile, the TUC Congress also Congress 2017 in Brighton. to overhaul immigration, customs and backed a separate FDA motion calling The civil service is now at its smallest agricultural policies currently handled on ministers to prove their commitment size since the second world war, having by the EU. to boardroom reform was genuine by lost tens of thousands of staff since “And Congress, as we know all too well, appointing staff to the boards of all 2010. Yet despite the ongoing squeeze it’s civil servants who’ve borne the brunt public sector organisations. on resources, the demands on civil of austerity: resources ravaged, close to a FDA General Secretary Dave Penman servants continue to grow, and the decade of pay restraint, cuts to pensions told Congress that the move could “help extra challenges posed by Britain’s vote and a raft of other conditions.” put a brake on the constant change for to leave the European Union have so Hills told Congress that a new change’s sake” seen too often in the far not been matched by any increase settlement for the civil service must public sector, and said the move would in resources for the vast majority of include an end to the arbitrary 1% prompt “better decision making” by government departments. cap on pay rises, saying it was vital giving public servants at all levels “an An FDA motion carried unanimously that departments were “able to have opportunity to influence the services they by the TUC Congress in September calls grown-up conversations about pay deliver”. for a new settlement for the civil service, without the 1% straitjacket”. He added: “Whilst the battle for stressing the need for Britain to have a corporate boardroom reform continues, “properly resourced, properly rewarded, this motion calls on the Government, impartial civil service” at this crucial time “It’s civil servants who’ve without the distraction of vested interests for the country. borne the brunt of austerity: getting in the way, to immediately reform Moving the motion, FDA President resources ravaged, a decade the thousands of decision-making boards Gareth Hills told Congress: “It’s civil of pay restraint and cuts to across the public sector to include worker servants who’ve been tasked with pensions” Gareth Hills representation.”

8 Public Service Magazine Autumn 2017 News Revolving Door

Civil service starters, movers and leavers

Philip Rycroft is complaints about lawyers. Powell – Milner, currently the Executive stepping up to become who was previously the ombudsman’s Director of Customer and Corporate Permanent Secretary Director of Corporate Services and has Services at healthcare regulator the of the Department for also worked at water regulator Ofwat – Care Quality Commission, will succeed Exiting the European replaces Nick Hawkins in the job. Peter Lauener, who has led ESFA and Union, taking over from In November, Eileen Milner will its predecessor organisations since Ollie Robbins (pictured). Robbins step up to become the chief executive 2010. – who has led the department since of the Education and Skills Funding Sarah Wilkinson it was set up last year – moves to Agency (ESFA), the newly-formed (pictured) has taken the the Cabinet Office to become the executive agency of the Department reins at NHS Digital, Prime Minister’s EU adviser, but for Education responsible for funding replacing Andy Williams will continue to lead the UK team education and training in England. as Chief Executive of the in Brexit negotiations. Rycroft has arm’s-length Department been promoted from DExEU’s Second of Health body which provides IT and Permanent Secretary, a post he has communications support to the NHS. held since earlier this year following My alternative career Wilkinson has been the Home Office’s a two-year stint as head of Cabinet Angela M Westington Chief Digital, Data and Technology Office’s UK Governance Group. Officer since 2015, before which she Edward Troup is retiring from his worked in technology roles for a series joint role as HM Revenue and Customs’ of financial institutions. Senior HM Executive Chair and Permanent Companies House has named Inspector of Secretary. Troup, who originally Louise Smyth as its new Chief Schools, West joined the Treasury in 2004, has led Executive. Smyth moves from the Midlands HMRC’s strategic and policy work Intellectual Property Office (IPO), since April 2016, working alongside where she has worked as Director of If I had not become a fellow Permanent Secretary and Chief IT, Director of Corporate Services and civil servant I would Executive Jon Thompson. Chief Operating Officer. Companies have loved to have been an John Aston has been appointed as House, a Department for Business, archaeologist or historian. My abiding the Home Office’s new Chief Scientific Energy and Industrial Strategy love for history and archaeology stems Adviser, tasked with ensuring that the executive agency, was previously led from my primary school days when department’s policies take account by Tim Moss – who is himself heading my teacher handed out R J Unstead’s of scientific evidence. He joins the to the IPO to serve as its new chief Looking at History text books. I adored Home Office from the University of exec. these books. Cambridge, where he specialised The Office of the Advocate General In the late sixties and early seventies, I in applied statistics. Aston replaces (OAG) for Scotland, which advises the pestered my mother to let me hang Bernard Silverman, who has retired UK government on Scottish law, has a around the open dig at Deansgate in after seven years in the job. new Director. Neil Taylor was formerly Manchester. I watched, mesmerised, as The Home Office has also named the Legal Secretary to the Advocate archaeologists scraped back the Hugh Ind as Director General of General for Scotland, and has also Roman history of my town. Immigration Enforcement on a served as Head of the Advisory and That fascination with the past has permanent basis, after a 10-month Legislation Division at the OAG. He never left me. One of the unexpected stint as interim DG. Ind has extensive succeeds Michael Chalmers. joys of my role, which requires Home Office experience, having served The Foreign Office has appointed extensive travel, is that sometimes I as Immigration Enforcement’s Director Lindsay Croisdale-Appleby to a key find myself driving through areas for Casework and Returns, and as Brexit-related job. Croisdale-Appleby, completely new to me and picturing Director for Crime and Enforcement. who has been with the FCO since 1996 what they must have been like in a He also worked at the now-abolished and was previously Europe Director, previous age. UK Border Agency, as Regional will now serve as the department’s I’m close to the end of my career and Director for London and the South Director General for European Union keep threatening my horrified loved East. Exit. Lindsay previously did a two- ones that when I eventually retire I am Rob Powell has been promoted year stint as the British Ambassador going to treat myself to a metal to Chief Executive of the Legal to Columbia, and has served as First detector and go off searching for Ombudsman, which works with Secretary of the UK’s permanent buried treasures. the Ministry of Justice to deal with representation to the EU.

Public Service Magazine Autumn 2017 9 My working life

Working for a reason A Grade 7 FDA member working in a major Government department tells PSM why she came back to the civil service – and what she finds most frustrating at work.

I first joined the civil service when I was where we all feel terribly guilty at the only 19 and left after about five years to “In the short term, you’re idea of spending money. In the short go travelling. After around a year desperate to demonstrate term, you’re desperate to demonstrate travelling and six more working in the where you’ve cut costs without where you’ve cut costs without looking ‘real world’ of marketing, I found myself looking at how that impacts on at how that impacts on wider decision back in the civil service again. wider decision making.” making. A while ago I drew up a business It was many years ago now, but I still plan for how I’d like to structure my team remember the MD of our company giving and re-graded a lot of the posts, which us a supposedly rousing motivational departmental change as deliberate meant we would have spent the exact speech and thinking, I don’t care about decision making. same amount of money but had one how much money you’re making for Now I find myself in a management extra staff member. I was told it couldn’t Walkers or Cadburys or anyone else. I role, my biggest frustration is dealing be done because I wasn’t allowed to just felt utterly pointless in the role I was with staffing and HR issues. I do, increase the headcount, even if it would doing. unfortunately, have some very cost less! I never had that feeling working in the complicated staffing matters at the I could build a more proficient, fit for civil service; there was always a reason moment. I would say in the last six purpose workforce but arbitrary targets for what I was doing, even the more months I’ve spent nearly 80% of my prevent this kind of long-term strategic mundane admin jobs. My first role time working on HR matters and I’ve planning. I know it’s not just limited to involved making up files and running watched my other tasks falling apart my department, this is happening across pieces of paper around the building, but I because I haven’t got the time to spend the civil service and it just makes you did it for a reason and I never questioned on them. want to scream with frustration. that those tasks needed to be done. All of our policies follow due process Then suddenly I was in this corporate and allow people the benefit of the world where somebody would make a doubt, which is great, but there is a comment on what my jacket looked like reluctance to make robust decisions and What’s your story? or whether I was wearing the right the impact this has on the remaining colour lipstick, while I was doing a staff can be devastating. I think that is My Working Life allows FDA and pointless job – and I knew it wasn’t going one thing the private sector does better Keystone members to talk to be for life for me. than the public sector; there is more frankly about their jobs and I eventually found my way back to the freedom to make robust decisions to do experiences at work. If you’d civil service and, in aggregate, I now the right thing for the department, even like to work with one of our have about 18 years’ experience. Since if that might mean paying someone off returning I’ve grown into my current role to get them out of the business. reporters on your own story, quite organically. I’ve applied for jobs We’re scared to make those kinds of drop us a line to [email protected]. when they’ve come up and where I’ve financial decisions and I think that’s uk. Anonymity is guaranteed. ended up has as much to do with gotten worse in these times of austerity

10 Public Service Magazine Autumn 2017 Learning from the best

Neil Rider explains Department for Culture, Media and Sport; The model for the sessions is the very how FDA Learn is Joanna West, the Director of Immigration successful leadership project we ran helping members Enforcement for London and the South; earlier this year in Scotland, working forge their own Peter Loosley, the Head of Strategy with the Scottish Union Learning Fund path to the Senior Design on the Department for Work and and the Scottish Government. Those who Civil Service – and Pensions’ Universal Credit programme; attended also benefited from some ‘light looks ahead to the and a ‘joint ticket’ consisting of Yvette touch’ mentoring after the sessions, to new Competency Framework Bosworth and Suzie Daykin, who are job- help to increase their confidence and sharing as Deputy Director for Animal turn the lessons of the day into skills that Here on the FDA Learn team we want Public Health and Traceability at DEFRA. can be used in the workplace. If you’re to equip as many members as possible interested in getting involved in more with the skills and training they need of these events, please drop me a line at to get the most from their working lives, [email protected]. so we’re always on the lookout for new Meanwhile, we’re also working to opportunities to reach people. Following prepare for changes to the Civil Service the successful ‘Unlocking the Senior Civil Competency Framework, which are due Service’ event in London in June, we’ve to take effect next year. We’re engaging recently launched a fresh programme with Civil Service Resourcing on the of masterclasses and mentoring shape of the new framework, which opportunities on the theme of leadership. is expected to include the use of new We managed to secure a number of the psychometric sift tools and assessor speakers from the SCS event for these training. While we welcome a refresh of new sessions, with senior departmental the framework, we’re keen to make sure figures sharing their insights on what it that nothing is done which puts progress takes to get to the top. Vitally, we chose on diversity in peril. As ever, our FDA these speakers specifically because their Learn courses will be geared around career paths could be considered ‘non- the new framework, ensuring that the traditional’, and we wanted to help show training and development opportunities members that there is no ‘one-size-fits- Former Health Secretary Andrew Lansley that we offer are directly relevant to you all’ approach to career development. (above) and Debra Lang, HR Director at the and your job. Speakers at the seven sessions – Department for Culture, Media and Sport which took place in London and Leeds (top), were two of the speakers at the FDA’s Neil Rider is head of FDA Learn and – included Debra Lang, HR Director at the Unlocking the SCS event in June. Keyskills

Public Service Magazine Autumn 2017 11 Organising Organising across departments throughout the UK

FDA Organiser We go into departments to chat to staff learn out about the union, chat about Alan Bailey on the ground because we know there their workplace concerns, and find out urges members are many common issues that appear what we can do to help resolve them. to help raise the in workplaces across the UK, such as We are planning FDA events and FDA’s visibility in excessive workloads, working extra stalls in a number of departments this workplaces across hours, poor performance management autumn. We will be meeting people the UK, and looks and high levels of stress. joining the civil service at Fast Stream back on another We want to resolve these issues, induction events, speaking to members successful year at Civil Service and the more members we have in a in HM Revenue and Customs working Live. department the stronger our voice will at the new Croydon Hub, and getting be and the better chance we will have out of London to speak to members in Since the last issue of PSM we have been of resolving them in the way members Sheffield, Nottingham and Leeds. We talking to staff and recruiting members want. The key to gaining members in will also be holding our Women into at the seven Civil Service Live events any location is visibility. There are many Leadership and BME into Leadership which took place across the UK. Fresh ways to make sure we are visible in a events, as well as an event in the Houses from Civil Service Live, we are now going department or building, from simple of Parliament to mark Black History into departments to chat to staff about posters and branded items to organising Month. how they find their workplace and what major events. Branded items can be If you see one of our stalls in your FDA can offer – both to better represent fun and help to advertise the FDA’s workplace, please come over to say them in their departments, and to help presence, but one of the best ways to hello and let us know what’s going well put money back in their pockets through become more visible is to organise – and not so well – in your department. member benefits. events or set up stalls where staff can If you can bring a colleague who isn’t a

12 Public Service Magazine Autumn 2017 Organising member over to talk to us about what the FDA can do for them, even better! We want to hold those conversations in many more locations in the next year, but one major barrier we often encounter is access to workplaces. Heightened security levels mean that the FDA can’t always hold an event or set up a recruitment stall in a departmental building – and this is where members can help. Workplace contacts and members who are willing to escort us around their buildings are going to be crucial to us in raising the FDA’s visibility. If you have an issue in your department, think about how you can help grow the union’s visibility and membership strength in your workplace. When we can get into workplaces we can raise the profile of the FDA, talk to staff about their concerns and explain how we can support members in resolving them. So if you can help us to gain access to your building to set up a stall or run an event, please email me at organiser@ fda.org.uk.

Civil Service Live 2017 The FDA had a presence at every Civil Service Live event this year, which resulted in a mini tour of the UK as we attended events in Belfast, Manchester, Gateshead, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Birmingham and London. Civil Service Live continues to be as popular as ever, with 16,000 delegates attending in total – 6,000 in the two-day London event alone. At each event we recruited new course free and the rest at a discounted Civil Service Live 2017: the FDA ran members for both Keystone and the FDA. price. a bitesize version of the FDA Learn Our new stand drew lots of attention and We had lots of good conversations ‘Courageous Conversations’ course at every our stalls were always very busy with with people and recruited lots of new CSL event this year. people finding out more about what we members at Civil Service Live, but not do, taking information and grabbing our everyone wants to join on the day. desktop mobile phone holders, which Understandably, some people want If you are interested in were hugely popular! to go away and think about it before becoming more active in At each event we ran a bitesize version making a decision. You can help your branch, please contact of our Keyskills/FDA course ‘Courageous follow up our success at these events your local branch officer (you Conversations’. Those that have been on by chatting to colleagues to find out will find their details on the this course will know that it ditches the if they visited our stall and have any My FDA page on the FDA classic PowerPoint approach and gets remaining questions or concerns about website), or email participants on their feet and actively joining. involved. We received great feedback Although this year’s Civil Service Live [email protected] for from participants, who found the course has only just wrapped up, we’re already more information. enjoyable and insightful. Remember that planning for next year, looking at how non-members can also attend our FDA to develop an interactive stand and Learn courses. So if you have a colleague maximise the opportunities to speak to who is thinking of joining, encourage civil service managers and professionals them to try out a course. If they like about their experiences and priorities in it, remind them that members get one the workplace.

Public Service Magazine Autumn 2017 13 Opinion Got an opinion? Let’s hear it at [email protected]

How do we build a stronger civil service?

A new index of civil service performance places the UK fourth in the world but shows there is still plenty of room for improvement if we’re willing to learn from others, says Calum Miller.

“Britain needs a strong civil service.” At the city’s many civil servants. The UK detail, a few things stand out. The UK a time of political and policy turbulence, gritted its teeth at finishing fourth behind topped the rankings in three areas and when public services are under scrutiny sister-bureaucracies in Canada, New was second in two more, but had some and stress, few could object to the FDA’s Zealand and Australia, and pointed out notably weaker areas: it came 23rd in rallying cry. But it’s worth looking a little its top place in a few specific areas. digital services, 17th in integrity, and 16th deeper into what exactly we mean by a There is value in focusing on the in crisis and risk management. So, while strong civil service. headline figures. For too many people, the UK ended up with a global ranking What distinguishes a strong from a the civil service is anonymous. Bound of fourth (sixth if results are adjusted for weak civil service? Who do we compare by a code of political neutrality, the civil the GDP per capita of the country), that ourselves to? Do we know where we are service is generally – and rightly – in masks a high variance. stronger or weaker? Is our measurement the shadow of the ministers it serves. An This level of deviation from the UK’s a snapshot, or can it change over time? index like this can grab public attention mean performance is good news: it What do we need to do to become and provide a focus for conversations highlights the areas where focus is most stronger? How do we map that path? and communication about the role of the likely to lead to improvement, while the These are the questions that drive the civil service. cross-country comparison also highlights International Civil Service Effectiveness There is a richer prize in the InCiSE. from whom the UK can learn. (InCiSE) Index. Launched this summer, Looking in detail at the 12 domains and Some might be shocked that the UK the InCiSE Index is a collaboration 76 underlying metrics gives the most civil service, buttressed by values set out between Oxford University’s Blavatnik comprehensive picture to date of how more than 160 years ago by Northcote School of Government and the Institute a civil service is performing against its and Trevelyan, could be in the second for Government, with support from the international comparators. And that’s a division for integrity. But that highlights UK Civil Service and funding from the valuable opportunity to learn how we can InCiSE Index’s potential to illuminate. Open Society Foundations. It brings make the UK civil service stronger. The integrity measure is based on 16 together for the first time a composite Looking at the UK’s performance in separate scores, drawn from four data assessment of the strength of 31 national sources. Of these, the UK is substantially civil services. below the average in only two: the degree Understandably, the immediate It may be of protection for whistleblowers, and reactions focused on the headline results. shocking to the degree to which the policy process Canada basked in its position at the top some that the UK is protected from lobbyists. Looking at of the rankings, prompting one seasoned the league leaders, New Zealand scores Ottawa official to note ruefully that it civil service is in the top on protecting whistleblowers, while was the first time the Ottawa Citizen had second division for Sweden leads the way on protecting found anything positive to write about integrity policymaking from lobbyists. Dig deeper,

14 Public Service Magazine Autumn 2017 Opinion and we can learn about the regimes problems, with review bodies covering that each of these countries has put in A window of many areas, including the Senior Civil place and why the OECD and Quality of Service. Some areas have retained Government Index rate them so highly. opportunity guaranteed progression, so newer The beauty of this kind of recruits are still moving up a pay benchmarking is that it is a two-way spine. Many areas have recruitment process. Every country in the index has As cracks widen in and retention problems and there is a strengths and weaknesses. For example, the government’s widespread need for workforce reform, while Portugal might learn from the UK public sector pay which often needs to be properly about openness and policy-making, it policy, FDA General supported by changes to reward could teach us something about digital Secretary Dave structures. services. Or Turkey could share its Penman warns In the civil service, there has been little approach to crisis and risk management against missing the opportunity to genuinely reform pay with the UK in return for some pointers chance to reform civil service structures for either the SCS or delegated on regulation. pay for the longer-term. grades for over a decade. The Treasury In September, the Blavatnik School of remit process has not been seriously Government hosted civil service leaders One of the less expected outcomes looked at since the mid-90s. A policy from several countries, together with from the general election has been the that was meant to allow departments public administration experts and some government’s inconsistent messages to shape their pay structures to support of the organisations that contributed data about the public sector pay cap. In the their objectives has turned into a to the InCiSE Index. The most pressing immediate aftermath, we saw a clutch mechanism for Treasury control – and question was how civil servants can use of ministers breaking ranks and making that was before the current period of the data to improve performance. We sympathetic noises. Whether it was restraint. came up with a few key steps. genuine concern or just part of the An opportunity was missed in 2009 to First, celebrate successes. Every civil war that inevitably follows a bad meaningfully reform SCS pay following country in the index has clear strengths. election, those noises have continued. the Normington review. As a result, most Acknowledge them, and congratulate Now we have an announcement on of the problems he highlighted remain those who have contributed to them. prison officers’ and police pay, and unsolved a decade later. Second, be honest. With all an unusual pre-Budget promise of So, what of the future? We will, of evaluations, it’s tempting to challenge “flexibility” next year for the rest of the course, continue to argue for a more the measurement. The InCiSE team public sector. meaningful lifting of the cap, reflecting welcome this and want to improve the the genuine hardship members feel – index. But we hope civil service leaders It’s clear we pay has fallen by around 20% in real will also take less good results on the won’t see a terms since 2010. But whatever flexibility chin, and look to improve them. is coming our way next year, it’s in the Third, learn from others. Governments wholesale scrapping interest of members, the government tend to be the monopoly provider of of pay restraint, and taxpayers for reward systems to be many key services, so civil services need however justified reformed over the longer term. to look to other countries for ideas that that might be That means ministers, Treasury and work. InCiSE points the way. the Cabinet Office need to develop a Fourth, compete. The index works The timing and manner of the framework that gives the civil service partly because there is a healthy announcement owed more to opposition some certainty over reward for the competition between countries. Take tactics in parliament than strategic medium to longer term. It also means pride in making relative improvements. decision making. It also came on the day engaging with the unions, which have a Fifth, communicate. InCiSE provides when RPI, still for me the real measure wealth of knowledge and experience on a great opportunity to talk with staff, of inflation, rose to 3.9%, with the reward, not simply imposing changes ministers, stakeholders and the public Government’s preferred measure, CPI, from on high. There’s a lot of frustration about how the civil service works. rising to 2.9%. Even the beneficiaries and anger about pay stagnation; if that If the UK needs a stronger civil service, complained it was too little, never mind is not to erupt into discontent and, some things have to change. There will be too late. Not so much a removal of the crucially, if reform is to have any chance many views on what that change should cap, more a doffing. of buy-in from the workforce, then it has look like. Hopefully, the InCiSE Index can What will this announcement mean to involve genuine dialogue and shared start to show us where to look for the path for FDA members? It’s frustrating that solutions. to a stronger future. We look forward to there is precious little engagement That’s not going to be easy for either sharing the journey. with those representing public sector side, and may partly depend how far workers, but it’s clear we won’t see a the purse strings are loosened. But Calum Miller is the Chief Operating Officer wholesale scrapping of pay restraint, it is an opportunity to move on from of Blavatnik School of Government. Full however justified such a move might be. the longest period of pay restraint in details of The Index are available at bit.ly/ The public sector has a myriad living memory. Let’s hope it’s not an psm17-incise. of different pay arrangements and opportunity lost.

Public Service Magazine Autumn 2017 15 Interview

hen I ask people why they joined the civil service, many reply that Maths, they were inspired by parents who Wworked in public services. Jonathan Slater, who became Permanent Secretary at the Department for Education (DfE) Mum and in May 2016, is one of them: “My mother was a social worker and my father was a teacher, and I thought they were wonderful at what they did – helping the kids to achieve their best,” he recalls. Dad But here his story diverges from the commonplace; Slater was stronger in the sciences than the humanities. “I wanted to work in public service, but I knew I Matt Ross talks to Jonathan Slater, the reforming couldn’t do either of my parents’ jobs,” he says. “So I ended up doing maths at permanent secretary at the Department for university, simply because that was what Education, about positivity, the power of data – I was best at. I remember looking at a book called: ‘What do mathematicians and running 7,000 schools. do?’, and you could become an accountant or an auditor or an actuary.

16 Public Service Magazine Autumn 2017 Interview

There were lots of jobs that started with ‘A’, that sounded boring and weren’t to do Jonathan Slater: the making of England’s with public services – and then there was something called operational research.” schools chief This, he learned, means “using maths to solve complex problems” in business 1984 2005 processes and organisational structures. Graduates from Becomes director “Here was a way of combining what I was University of York with a of performance and good at with something that was useful BSc in Mathematics improvement, National in the public sphere,” he explains. So Offender Management Slater did an MSc, joined British Rail and 1986 Service embarked on a career in public sector Completes an MSc in change management. “I don’t think it Operational Research at 2006 was by design,” he adds. Nonetheless, the University of Sussex, Promoted to chief Slater had found his vocation. and joins British Rail executive, Office of He worked for London councils, Criminal Justice Reform becoming director of education and 1998 deputy chief executive at Islington; then Made deputy chief 2007 2015 joined government as a director in the executive and director Appointed director Made director general Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit. Six years of education at Islington general, Transforming of the Economic and at the National Offender Management Council Justice, at the MoJ Domestic Secretariat, Service and the Ministry of Justice Cabinet Office followed; and when his MoJ colleague 2001 2011 Ursula Brennan became Permanent Joins Cabinet Office as Moves to Ministry of 2016 Secretary at the Ministry of Defence, she a director in the Prime Defence as director Appointed permanent brought Slater in to enact Lord Levene’s Minister’s Delivery Unit, general of head office secretary of the report on defence reform. leading on health and commissioning Department for “I wasn’t expert in justice policy or reform services Education defence policy,” he recalls. “But change – improving the way an organisation works – is also an expert’s task.” Thirty years after Slater took his first what is broken, and how it should be also being reformed. “That’s telling 75% public sector change job, what’s he fixed. of our staff that they’re not all that good, learned about making reforms stick? In Top of DfE staff’s ‘broken’ list was, it and that’s not relentlessly positive!” says answer, he recalls a 2016 visit to a special seems, the performance management Slater. Instead, the bonus pot will be needs school in Darlington. system: under the widely-criticised distributed across the directorates, and “I watched the head teacher give an ‘forced distribution’ appraisal policy, “if someone does something impressive absolutely inspiring assembly,” he says. introduced in April 2013 by then-Cabinet over and above their job, they’re entitled “All the kids there had behavioural Office minister Francis Maude, managers to a small financial reward. So we can problems such that they couldn’t be had to grade 25% of their staff as respond immediately when somebody’s in mainstream schools, but they were performing well and 10% as failing. done something really well,” he adds. totally quiet and well-behaved; it was “We won’t have forced ranking any Such changes are likely to boost an wonderful. So, I said to her afterwards: ongoing rise in departmental morale. ‘How do you do that?’ And she said: Change – The Civil Service People Survey shows ‘Relentless positivity’. that the headline employee engagement “I took that message back to the improving the figure, which fell 12 points between 2009 department, and there are lessons in way an organisation and 2013, has now fully recovered. But that for us – both within the department, the results for pay and benefits remain and in the way we engage with the works – is also an eight points below the 2009 position. system more generally,” he says. In expert’s task Here, Slater has far fewer levers. practical terms, that means treating “In any walk of life, whatever the job is, staff as if they’re part of the solution, more, that’s gone,” says Slater. And you would want to give people the hope not the problem: “In my experience, instead of holding annual appraisals, that they could improve their standard of people want to do the right thing and managers will now “have a monthly living, and that would apply in the civil are looking for help. So you’re trying to conversation with their staff – so people service as much as anywhere else,” he capture that energy and create a sense can change course along the way, rather says carefully. “So the government has to of belief that things could be better.” than waiting until the end of the year,” he balance its wish to reward people doing Slater, for example, asks staff what the promises. a good job, and to give them a sense of organisation does well, leaving those The system under which only the top confidence about what’s coming down areas untouched. Then he asks them 25% received a performance bonus is the track, against their responsibilities

Public Service Magazine Autumn 2017 17 Interview

to the taxpayer. That’s a decision the down battle against the educational here. On the other hand, I’ve heard government has to make.” establishment he called ‘the Blob’. examples of a minister saying: ‘Why Slater’s focus on “relentless positivity” “I take my daughter to school, and didn’t they tell me what they thought?’” strikes a contrast with Maude’s approach there’s no shortage of opportunities to Slater points out that current Secretary to civil service reform, which often left keep it real,” says Slater. “So I recognise of State Justine Greening is a former civil servants feeling undermined and the concerns people have, and we’re accountant – and says the two share an criticised. But he argues that Maude, who always asking ourselves whether we’re evidence-based, data-driven approach warned in September that “institutional being as helpful as possible to help them to assessing policy and reform ideas. complacency” and a “bias to inertia” are achieve their goals.” “I’m instinctively interested in the costs stalling the reform agenda, shouldn’t Slater cites his department’s recent and benefits of making a change, in worry. To meet ministers’ goals, the announcement on the next phase of quantifying and comparing them,” he department must “grow the commercial, primary school testing. Following “a says, adding that Greening tends to ask digital, and customer focused skills comprehensive, genuine consultation about the NPV: the ‘net present value’ of that Francis Maude spoke about”, says process, I think it landed pretty well: inflows and outflows. Slater. “He needn’t fear: our ambition people acknowledged that as we were “I’m not suggesting that’s universal: for making those changes has not you don’t get that question from all diminished as a result of him no longer Secretaries of State,” he adds. “But being minister for the Cabinet Office.” the fact that my political boss is just Meanwhile, Slater is working to equip as interested in value for money as the Department for Education for its I am makes my task as accounting newfound role overseeing public service officer easier, and it’s a really good delivery. When Michael Gove became discipline.” Slater says his conversations education secretary in 2010, there were with Greening tend to focus on three just 200 academy schools – which report questions: “Number one, is this going to directly to the DfE, rather than to local promote social mobility? Number two, education authorities. “But I’ve now is it going to work? And number three, got 7,000 academies reporting through what’s the NPV?” 3,000 trusts,” Slater explains, and I’ve heard This forensic approach to ministers and parliamentarians “expect examples of policymaking and organisational reform, the department to be able to account Slater says, captures the hidden burdens for their performance, the quality of ministers saying, ‘Why of change as well as the cash costs: “If we their buildings, the number of teacher didn’t they tell me announce a change to education policy, vacancies.” by definition there’s going to be a cost on Then there’s the need to offer 30 what they thought?’ the frontline: what is that cost, what’s the hours of free childcare to the parents benefit, and how clear are we that one of toddlers, and to create three million bringing new things in, we were taking outweighs the other?” apprenticeships by 2020. “We’re now old things out, and that we had worked Jonathan Slater seems to have found largely a delivery department, and that hard to build a consensus across the his sweet spot in the civil service: a requires hard graft and real expertise,” profession.” place where, working with a like- he says. His latest change programme, It seems the relationship between minded Secretary of State, he can launched late last year, is designed ministers and civil servants has also deliver evidence-based change in a field to “reflect that reality” – building the come a long way since Gove’s tenure, of service delivery about which he’s systems and teams required to monitor when some apparently politicised passionate. His approach to leading and manage frontline services. appointments, the behaviour of his reform is, he says, “a combination of This expansion of the DfE’s remit may special advisers, and accusations of maths and parents”: it’s about applying worry those in the education sector who bullying prompted a flurry of leaks his own strongest abilities to the “noble” have long warned about its tendency to and senior departures. “I haven’t vocations of his teacher father and social meddle endlessly in frontline delivery. seen any civil servants acting in an worker mother. Former DfE Permanent Secretary Sir inappropriately political way,” says “Watching my parents do their jobs, I David Bell, for example, argued during Slater, adding that ministers consistently could see they were operating within a Gove’s tenure that “the system is being ask for honest advice – even if it runs system in which there were constraints held back by teachers being subjected against their political views. on what they did,” he recalls. Now, he to constant, short-term policy and “In my time as permanent secretary, runs the department which oversees both structural changes driven by the electoral I’ve never found a single example of a teachers and social workers – “amazing cycle and political firefighting.” minister who objected to a civil servant how life has come full circle”, he says Change is inevitable, responds Slater, advising them on something they chose – and has the opportunity to tackle and elected politicians must make the not to do,” he explains. “I can imagine a those constraints. “The question for my key decisions, but his collaborative, scenario in which that would not be the department,” he concludes, “is how consultative approach to reform sounds case; I’m just telling you what it’s been we’re helping them to do their jobs better very different from Gove’s head- like whilst I’ve been permanent secretary – and then can I quantify it?”

18 Public Service Magazine Autumn 2017 Grenfell The real value of public service

hey got the call at afraid there were people who were not The response to the 00:54. They were going to get out,” Green tells PSM. “It’s devastating fire at there within six as plain and simple as that.” " minutes. It was Exactly how the tragedy at Grenfell London’s Grenfell Tower like nothing they’d – in which at least 80 people died – demonstrated the very ever seen before,” unfolded is now the subject of both says DaveT Green, national officer for the a criminal investigation and a public best of public service. But Fire Brigade’s Union (FBU). In the early inquiry, chaired by retired appeal court Matt Foster hours of 14 June, 250 firefighters using judge Sir Martin Moore-Bick. Meanwhile, as reports, 70 pumps were locked in a desperate central and local government staff the blaze raises major battle to control the blaze at Grenfell have been working flat out to respond Tower, which had turned the skies to the tragedy, with officials at the questions about the around the Lancaster West Estate in Department for Communities and Local resources and respect North Kensington a fierce orange. “Very Government (DCLG) working seven- little can prepare you, operationally day shift patterns to support councils given to those who work or emotionally, for what’s about to and housing associations with the every day to keep people happen,” Green continues. “You know painstaking job of testing the cladding there’s a job to be done and you’ve got fitted to tower blocks. “Day after day I’ve safe. to do it. It’s what everyone trains for. But the reality is that firefighters are just people – just human beings who try and do the best they can.” “Day after day I’ve Some firefighters returned to the seen dedication and burning building six times, while others commitment that goes were forced to make agonising decisions about which residents they could above and beyond the realistically save. “As soon as the fire call of duty.” started spreading up the building, I’m Melanie Dawes

Public Service Magazine Autumn 2017 19 Grenfell

seen dedication and commitment that Even with the largest brigade in England, led to confusion over accountability and, goes above and beyond the call of duty,” Green says, the London Fire Brigade ultimately, a relaxation of standards. the department’s Permanent Secretary, relied on support from neighbouring Buildings can now be inspected by an Melanie Dawes, told her staff in a counties in responding to Grenfell. He unqualified fire risk assessor, with the message seen by PSM. points out that most brigades don’t have fire service reduced to an overseeing role. The way ministers and officials 70 pumps and “if that fire had happened Crucially, Green adds, the fire service respond to Grenfell will shape for in any other city, you would be talking no longer has “any say in what cladding decades to come how the public views about a much slower response, a much is put onto a building, or what holes those whose job it is to keep them safe. riskier approach. You would not have the are knocked through walls” – exactly For Green, the inquiry must not shy resources there immediately.” the kind of alterations that can turn a away from asking searching questions of Regulatory changes have also previously safe building into a death trap ministers. “The reality is that there are drastically reduced the role of firefighters like Grenfell. now 11,000 fewer frontline firefighters in in fire safety since Green joined the “The safety of our people, especially the UK than there were in 2010,” he says. fire service in Nottingham in 1985. “We the vulnerable, is of paramount “That’s around one in five firefighters no carried out inspections of buildings importance,” Green says. “You cannot longer protecting people in our society.” deemed to be at risk in our station area give responsibility for that to people These cuts have, Green says, left – old people’s homes, care homes, who’ve got a vested interest in properties. firefighters running to stand still, a hospitals, things like that,” he explains. It has to be given to an independent body situation that will be all-too-familiar “We got to know them. In effect, it was – and that body is the fire and rescue to many in the diminished ranks of recognised that the fire service had service. It’s run by firefighters, every Britain’s public sector workforce. “The the expertise and so we were given the single one has attended fires in high rise government takes the attitude that they responsibility to enforce regulations.” buildings, knows what the dangers are. will get away with it and that those In 2005, however, the Labour We’ve got no axe to grind. We are public that are left can do a bit more for less government shifted responsibility for servants - we are not compromised by – hopefully the cracks will be papered fire safety to employers and landlords, conflicts of interest.” over and no one will actually notice,” who were required only to appoint Behind the frontline, others are asking he says. “But then something like this a “responsible person” to carry out serious questions about the capability of happens and it’s exposed for all to see.” in-house assessments. Green says this UK public services to protect residents

Asking the right questions

The Grenfell public inquiry, chaired by a horseshoe-shaped table specially retired appeal court judge Sir Martin constructed to try to make proceedings Moore-Bick (pictured right), will cover less adversarial, and also decided not to the history of Grenfell tower, its most televise proceedings. recent refurbishment, building and fire However, running an effective inquiry is regulations, the response of central only half the battle. Clift says ensuring and local government, and the local the Grenfell probe’s findings don’t simply authority’s relationship with the tower’s gather dust will require “very positive residents. But Campaign group Justice 4 working relationships” between the Grenfell, among others, says the terms inquiry team and DCLG officials. “That of reference are too narrow, and warns way, in a couple of years’ time when the that the inquiry has missed the chance to report lands, those in government will look at broader policy on “safe, affordable, feel like it’s a document that they can take appropriate and adequate housing”. seriously,” she says. expectations for what it can achieve. Cambridge University’s Colin Talbot, who Professor Talbot urges Moore-Bick to She advises inquiry staff to be as open as was on the 1996 prison service inquiry follow the example of Michael Bichard, possible, using technology to make sure panel, believes keeping the inquiry who reconvened the Soham child interested parties have all the information scope relatively narrow is the best way protection inquiry a year after reporting they need. “Justice has to be seen to be to ensure justice. “If you go too broad as a check on progress. “That sent done,” Clift says. “You want people to trust with inquiries like this, then rather than shockwaves around Whitehall – nobody the process and you want them to trust focusing on what’s directly broken in the had ever done that before,” he says. “For the inquiry team, and specifically the system you end up with it just draining the first time ever after an inquiry, the committee.” away into the sand because there is too civil service set up implementation groups much to consider,” he says. Clift also advocates doing everything all over the relevant departments and Former Cabinet Office official Jo Clift, possible to make sure people giving made sure they had done enough to be who helped set up the BSE inquiry in the evidence – many of whom are likely to able to put in a credible submission when late 1990s, says running an inquiry is be vulnerable – don’t feel intimidated by the inquiry reconvened. I think that’s the “tough, relentless, and really very hard”, the process. As an example, she explains only way that the Grenfell inquiry will and warns against setting sky-high how the chair of the BSE inquiry had have a really lasting impact.”

20 Public Service Magazine Autumn 2017 Grenfell

They can’t set up their own laboratories to research that sort of thing. It becomes incredibly difficult for them do that job properly.” Talbot believes that the UK’s system of “diffuse governance” could make properly investigating the Grenfell tragedy – and learning the right lessons from it – exceptionally difficult. “In a sense, what may have caused the problem in the first place – which is that there was no one central authority looking at the tower as a whole to make sure it was safe – may present the same problem when it comes to assigning blame. There’s not one person to blame or one single thing to put right.” Talbot is sceptical that the Grenfell inquiry will seriously challenge ministers’ mindsets, but says the of blocks like Grenfell. Dr Richard “If that fire had tragedy shows the need to give central Simmons is the former chief executive of government ultimate responsibility for the Commission for Architecture and the happened in any other critical issues like fire safety. “The thing Built Environment (CABE), an advisory city, you would be I’ve found most fascinating… is that body abolished in 2011. He tells PSM talking about a much nobody could say for certain whether that the “utterly shocking” events of 14 slower response, a or not the materials used at Grenfell June should prompt us to question how were legal or not. That alone tells you ministers have come to value private much riskier approach. something about the regulatory regime – sector advice more than the expertise in You would not have there’s obviously a massive lack of clarity their own departments. the resources there about what is and isn’t allowed.” “What’s happened is the government Simmons agrees that central has increasingly come to depend immediately.” government needs to strengthen its on external advisers on building oversight of key safety regimes. He regulations,” he says. He explains how development companies: they are good believes that bodies such as the Building the Building Regulations Advisory people to work with, and if they’re Research Establishment – privatised Committee (BRAC), the industry-led profitable you know they’re good at their in 1997 – may have to be brought back voluntary body advising the government job. But at the same time they have very in-house to ensure that experts’ concerns on building regulations, is chaired direct financial interests. Sometimes are properly heard in the corridors by the chief executive of a building there are public interests that are not of power. “Ministers deserve the best consultancy, while the committee’s reflected by the financial interests of the advice they can get – and unless there’s a members include the technical director private sector.” strong core of professional advice within of a firm which produced the insulation Others believe hiving off key functions the civil service itself, I don’t know how fitted to Grenfell Tower – which many from departments into arm’s-length they’re going to get it,” he warns. observers believe may have contributed bodies and agencies may have reduced Three months on from the fire, the to the spread of the fire. accountability and complicated blackened shell of the Grenfell Tower Although Simmons stresses that oversight. “The assumption was that still looms over Latimer Road station. neither appointment implies any smaller, locally-managed, more flexible As the public inquiry begins to gather wrongdoing, he questions whether units would be better at delivering,” says evidence and government officials work the “thinning out of the public Colin Talbot, professor of government to ensure that such a tragedy will never service for reasons both technological at Cambridge and Manchester be repeated, the FBU is calling for a and ideological” has undermined universities. “Of course, what happens permanent shift in the way Britain views government’s ability to properly regulate over time is you realise that they don’t its public servants. “I’ve heard lots of industry. “You need expertise in-house,” have the resources to do some things. people say that that building is now an he says. “You need people who can go Take Grenfell as an example: if you edifice, a monument to what successive and talk to ministers directly, and who decentralise fire regulations to local governments have done to public can draw attention to issues which might authorities, those individual local services,” Green says. “If that stark, not be highlighted by people in the authorities don’t have the capacity to do charred building isn’t forever etched on private sector. their own research about which sort of people’s minds as they think about the “I’m not somebody who says the cladding, and which type of insulation impact of this, then I don’t think lessons private sector is bad. I like profitable behind the cladding, is going to be safe. will ever be learned.”

Public Service Magazine Autumn 2017 21 Women leaders

1 4

5 3 2 The equalisers

The UK civil service has made his own staff: the battle to persuade men – offers useful lessons for British officials real progress with getting of the merits of gender equality is, he interested in promoting equality here. believes, far from won. Topping the table for the fourth year more women into senior jobs, British civil servants may suspect the in a row is Canada, on 46.4%. Since 2013 but new research shows we Australian chief is engaged in an uphill Australia has risen from 37% to 43.3%, struggle against his nation’s macho, staying narrowly ahead of third-placed still lag behind countries like outdoorsy culture – but new research South Africa’s 41.1%. And the UK’s 5.1 Canada and Australia. Matt reveals that Australia has the second point growth over 2013-17 leaves it on Ross and Tania Mason highest proportion of female senior 40.1%, a couple of points ahead of fifth- civil servants in the G20, just behind placed Brazil. explore what we can learn Canada and two places ahead of the Canada’s success appears to be from our Commonwealth UK. We may have a lot to learn from our rooted not in civil service employment Commonwealth cousins. or leadership initiatives, but in the cousins. The Women Leaders Index is an country’s early adoption of equal rights annual ranking of G20 nations, setting and anti-discrimination rules covering “If you want to ensure your out the proportion of women within society in general and the jobs market. organisation’s success, why would their top five civil service grades; it also “We have legislation which dates from you dream of choosing to ignore includes similar data on EU nations, the nineties which requires employers the leadership capability of half the and compares the G20 stats to figures on to remove barriers to the four designated population?” female representation within national groups: women, visible minorities, It sounds as if Michael Parkinson, assemblies, cabinets and private sector indigenous persons and people of Secretary of the Department of the Prime boards. Going back four years, the disability,” explains Michael Wernick, Minister and Cabinet in Australia, is Index and its accompanying report – Clerk of the Privy Council and Canada’s asking a rhetorical question. But this is produced by specialist publishers Global most senior official. a challenge he’s felt the need to put to Government Forum and supported by EY These labour market regulations,

22 Public Service Magazine Autumn 2017 Women leaders introduced over 20 years ago, gave Women Public Sector not using similar tools within the civil Canada a head start on comparable Leaders in the G20: 2017 service: many women are “anxious they nations. Following the arrival of what are not seen as token appointments”, Wernick calls the “real pioneers – the Canada 46.4% he says, and he’ll be relying on “good first women in particular jobs”, Canada Australia 43.3% practice, not compliance” to make saw its number of female senior civil South Africa 41.1% progress. servants rising fast. And the country is United Kingdom 40.1% On this side of the Irish Sea, there is now, he says, in “the third wave, which Brazil 37.8% also little appetite for the introduction is more about workplace culture: how United States 34.4% of quotas – and Britain’s civil service is meetings are conducted; avoiding France 34.0% still making progress on gender diversity, Mexico 34.0% ‘mansplaining’ and ‘manterruption’; having raised the proportion of women in Russian Federation 33.0% tackling unconscious bias – that more the senior civil service from 27% in 2005 Italy 32.0% subtle and nuanced stuff.” to 40.1% in spring 2017. Melanie Dawes, Argentina 28.8% So Canada’s success is rooted in wider Permanent Secretary of the Department Germany 21.0% labour market policies – suggesting that for Communities and Local Government Indonesia 17.4% over time, a commitment to pursuing India 17.0% and the civil service gender champion, gender equality through employment China 12.6% points to new data putting the figure at regulations will bear fruit. But Australia Turkey 8.8% 41.6%. has taken a different route to its second Korea, Rep. 4.7% Instead, the UK is likely to continue place in the ranking. Japan 3.5% with its broad-based approach of In recent years, the Australian Public Saudi Arabia 1.3% reforming selection and promotion Service (APS) has rolled out a series of systems, creating more flexible roles, and government-wide policies requiring working with up-and-coming women. Sir action by individual departments. The "We have got Paul Jenkins, the UK civil service diversity latest is the Gender Equality Strategy champion from 2011 to 2014, praises the 2016-19, which sets “ambitious stretch further to go latter approach: “The trick is to look at targets” for female representation at the top, and the feeder grades and do what has always among senior officials, says Parkinson. these things can been done with the blokes, which is “We don’t require every department to slip away from identify the ones that have potential and get to 50/50, because if you’re starting you if you don’t keep up give them a package of development tools at 10% you’re not going to get there – formal mentoring, coaching, career in three years,” he explains. But each consistent pressure.” development,” he says. department has been required to publish Melanie Dawes Ultimately, the barriers to women’s implementation strategies and targets advancement vary between departments. for the period to 2019, and to report on As Dawes says, each organisation needs progress. across the APS. to get “quite detailed and granular” Similarly, the APS has set a target of Looking further down the WLI results about understanding and addressing achieving gender parity among those table, in joint seventh place lie Mexico their specific challenges. She’s proud of sitting on boards across government, and France – which have expanded their the progress that’s been made so far – with each board required to comprise proportion of SCS women by 20 points pointing out that ethnic diversity is now a at least 40% women. And it’s created and 12.6 points respectively since 2013. bigger challenge – but says there’s still a a database of women who might make This year, France has shown the fastest long way to go. good board members. The cross- progress of any G20 country. “Until you’ve got gender parity right up government figure has now reached 41%, Both countries have introduced quota to the top of the system, you haven’t got adds Parkinson – a “big increase from systems, driving up the percentage of enough role models that show women at where we were”. women in senior roles, and shifted their all levels that this is a place that’s truly Parkinson is a big fan of flexible goal from from equal opportunities to gender-blind,” she says, pointing out that working, arguing that “removing any equal representation. And quotas have only a third of UK permanent secretaries stigma or disadvantage” from part-time, also worked elsewhere. Ireland required are women. “We have got further to go at job-share and teleworking roles “allows at least 30% women candidates for the the top, and these things can slip away people to balance their work and their Dail in its 2016 general election, boosting from you if you don’t keep up consistent outside responsibilities, and still advance the number of women in its lower house pressure.” their careers.” During his time leading by 40%. And Germany and Italy have the Treasury, he introduced an All seen female representation on the boards The Women Leaders Index report Roles Flex scheme – meaning that line of publicly-quoted companies climb and data tool are available at www. managers were expected to demonstrate sharply, following the introduction of globalgovernmentforum.com. Tania why roles couldn’t be made flexible, laws to drive up the numbers of women. Mason is the author of the report and rather than employees having to explain However David Cagney, Chief Human Matt Ross is a communications adviser to why they could be. If the results of a trial Resources Officer at Ireland’s Department the FDA and editorial director of Global are positive, it is likely to be rolled out of Public Expenditure and Reform, is Government Forum.

Public Service Magazine Autumn 2017 23 Meet the FDA Two people working for the FDA tell us something about themselves and what they do for members.

single parents. After joining Unison Despite their different remits, Victoria Victoria Taylor as a local organiser, Victoria had says members in all three organisations the challenging task of organising share common challenges, with FDA national officer for migrant workers who had a limited recruitment and retention difficulties MoJ, DExEU and DIT understanding of unions. “We had to exacerbated by the cap on civil service explain that they wouldn’t lose their job pay. “For example, the MoJ is going When she’s not by being in a trade union, and tell them through a really huge change programme working hard all about the educational benefits of at the moment – court closures, representing FDA joining a union – especially when they restructuring, and thinking about how members, Victoria didn’t have English as a first language.” they can deliver justice in the best takes visitors from Victoria joined the FDA as a national way,” she explains. “It’s really exciting around the world officer in 2016, tempted by increased work, but it’s not paid very well, and on tours of Highgate professional autonomy and the the amount that you’re expected to do Cemetery. While she opportunity to hone her casework skills. simply as goodwill is really significant.” enthuses about the She now looks after the Ministry of Victoria says representing individual history of the famous Victorian burial Justice, the Department for Exiting the members is “one of the best bits” of ground, her tour groups try to guess European Union and the Department for her job, because it involves directly what she does for a living. “The best one International Trade. supporting people “through something I’ve had is dentist,” Victoria says. “I’m really difficult or really challenging at not quite sure where that came from. work – and getting the right outcome”. And I’ve had people guess that I’m an Helping people She would like to see the FDA shout actor a few times.” through really louder about its achievements for Victoria made the leap to full-time difficult times at individual members through casework – union work in 2015, after developing something that might finally get her job a passion for complex casework at work is one of the recognised on one of her Highgate tours. Gingerbread, the national charity for best bits of the job Matt Foster

Alan became active in his Unison branch range of options. – becoming LGBT officer, a rep, branch Alan’s first big aim is to improve the Alan Bailey chair, and branch secretary – before support and training given to FDA reps deciding to take the step to a full-time – to bring it up to the same standard as FDA Organiser trade union work with the FDA. the FDA’s professional development “I felt like I’d done my time in the offering. He also wants to make better Alan joined the FDA student movement. I’d really enjoyed use of the skills of FDA members. “We’ve following a all the trade union work I had done as a got the most skilled membership base successful track branch secretary, so I wanted to continue of maybe any trade union and that is a record in the student on from that,” Alan explains. potential advantage if we are creative in movement, being Alan says the work the FDA Organiser how we can tap into that,” Alan explains. elected as Vice is an “exciting and interesting challenge” “We should think about how we can use President of the because the union is “still relatively that strength.” University of Salford new to organising” and “it’s not your Outside the office Alan enjoys singing Students’ Union and typical trade union, by the nature of Karaoke with friends, although he claims as a full-time paid national officer for the its membership being managers”. Alan his singing voice is “embarrassingly National Union of Students (NUS). admits that the approaches available bad for a Welshman”. Perhaps aiming to After leaving Salford, he joined the to him at the FDA aren’t the same as do better justice to his Welsh heritage, staff of the University College London when he was working in the student Alan has also started learning the Welsh (UCL) Students’ Union, to do democracy movement. But Alan says this has forced language. and campaigns work. It was here that him to be more creative with a smaller Tommy Newell

24 Public Service Magazine Autumn 2017 Keystone: fully opening up the benefits of FDA membership to HEOs and SEOs.

Help strengthen your union and share information on the benefits, career development and support provided for your HEO or SEO colleagues. Find out more, including how to join, at: wearekeystone.org.uk

PSM_spring2017_finals.indd 2 17/03/2017 14:38 Books Our look at the latest books on work, politics and public service

Citizen Clem

by John Bew riverrun paperback, 688pp, £12.99

For someone often cited as our greatest prime minister, something of a reverse cult of personality surrounds Clement Attlee. The aura of heroism attaches more readily to his government than to the man himself. Who knows much now, for example, about Attlee’s distinguished service in World War I, when he was, as John Bew gleefully tells us in this classy new biography, “shot in the buttocks as he carried the red flag over the top”? That red flag was the flag of his regiment, the South Lancashires, not the socialist standard sung about at Labour knew where he wanted to go. Labour would do better conferences. Bew argues convincingly Bew shows how Attlee painstakingly to learn from Attlee’s that Attlee’s deep sense of patriotism accumulated a bag of ideas about how ethos rather than just basking and loyalty is the key to understanding democratic socialism should work, in the reflected glow of his his enduring political achievements. As which he assembled into a distinctly government’s achievements a “social patriot”, his patriotism “meant British programme for government in not fidelity to caste or cohort, but to the the post-war years. They included a firm commonwealth”. Attlee himself said as Labour leader. While admitting that commitment to social justice, a balance his proudest achievement was not the luck gifted Attlee the leadership in 1935, between radicalism and pragmatism, a NHS, but taking Labour into the wartime Bew suggests he was simply better than deep sense of patriotism, an emphasis coalition with Winston Churchill. anyone else: “One of his undoubted skills on personal probity and loyalty, and Bew explains how Attlee “matured was to navigate around the larger egos a willingness to work with other into socialism” – developing the sense surrounding him, without letting disputes traditions within society: Attlee knew of purpose and steely determination over personality get in the way of the swift that conservatism and socialism were that turned this shy and diffident man execution of government policy.” different, but not opposites. into the great achiever of the British Like most effective revolutionaries – For today’s Labour Party, looking to left. Attlee “went left by going east”: his Thatcher, Lenin, Napoleon – Attlee was combine radical socialism with electoral politics were forged in the years he spent well read but always more of a doer than credibility, Bew’s book is a great place to as an East End social worker, subsisting a thinker. Rejecting Marxism early on, he start. Bew is right to argue that Attlee’s in a garret above the youth club – an doggedly disputed the idea that social- was a quintessentially 20th century experience that Bew says inured him ism demanded an abrupt and complete project – 1945 cannot be repeated – and to the “Fabian aloofness” that infected break with Britain’s history and Labour would do better to learn from many of his comrades. traditions, accusing more doctrinaire Attlee’s ethos rather than just basking in Genuine modesty led almost everyone and impatient colleagues, like Harold the reflected glow of his government’s to underestimate Attlee (but not Churchill Laski and Nye Bevan, of “demanding achievements. After all, Attlee’s who, while often rude about his rival a caesarean section rather than a socialism – democratic but patriotic, on the stump, deeply respected Attlee natural birth” for socialism. Poverty and principled but pragmatic – is the only and defended him fiercely in private), inequality were a “national problem” kind of socialism that ever really worked. and historians have long puzzled over which required the attention of the state. how he survived 20 tumultuous years Attlee may have been a gradualist, but he Reviewed by Craig Ryan

26 Public Service Magazine Autumn 2017 Reviews

Forewarned: A Sceptic’s Guide To Prediction by Paul Goodwin Biteback Publishing, 304pp, £12.99

Recent events in the UK and illumination”. on their loans more often when they abroad suggest these are Another potential source of confusion complete their loan application forms parlous times for forecasters. arises from ‘datafication’ – “the ability using only capital letters.” Nevertheless, forecasting to convert many aspects of our lives However, good predictions can act as a is still forms a vital part of and environment that were previously valuable corrective to complacency, and policy development and our unmeasured into computerised data”. occasionally point out possibilities that individual attempts to control our lives. Goodwin points out that unexpected could too easily have been dismissed. This guide provides a critique of the correlations in large datasets often Goodwin suggests that techniques various approaches which have been occur, and need to be examined with for producing such predictions used to predict the future and offers care and scepticism. could include scenario planning and some suggestions on how to differentiate Goodwin provides some interesting implementing anti-fragility measures, a good prediction from a bad one. examples of this phenomenon: “Data where forecasts can help build flexibility For Goodwin a bad prediction is one analysed by a San Francisco company and redundancy into systems so which shows signs of the three cardinal suggested that orange used cars are more that they are not unduly affected by sins of forecasting: contamination, reliable than those in other colours. A US unforeseen events. incompleteness and ineptitude. In online lender found that people default With its amalgam of entertaining this context, contamination refers to anecdotes and scientific research, this predictions designed to serve an ulterior is a good read for policy professionals agenda. Referring to examples of Bad predictions show and for those with a general interest in political interference, Goodwin quotes signs of the three understanding the predictions which novelist Andrew Lang: “Politicians use cardinal forcasting sins: pepper the headlines. statistics in the same way that a drunk contamination, uses lamp-posts: for support rather than incompleteness and ineptitude Reviewed by Anne Grikitis

Off the shelf Other recent reads

If Only They Didn’t Speak How to Lose a Referendum: This is not America English: Notes From Trump’s The Definitive Story of why by Alan Friedman America the UK Voted for Brexit by Jon Sopel by Jason Farrell and Paul Goldsmith Biteback, 352pp, £12.99

BBC Books, 323pp, £9.50 Biteback Publishing, 480pp, £20 Attempting to answer the question ‘What happened to The trouble with writing a Despite its title, this book America?’, Friedman takes book about a President as by Sky News‘s Jason readers on a comprehensive unpredictable as Donald Farrell and political blogger journey of ‘real America’ to Trump is that by the time Paul Goldsmith is not a unpick the events that led to it hits the shelves, it’s blow-by-blow account Donald Trump’s election as President on probably already been of the 2016 referendum 8 November 2016. Navigating through superseded by a volley of early-hours campaign. Instead, it puts Brexit into the complex backdrop that led to this White House tweets. The BBC’s North a historical context, giving 18 reasons landmark moment in American political America editor Jon Sopel wisely for why Britain voted to leave the history, Friedman seamlessly weaves eschews a detailed account of the EU: from the UK’s absence at the EU’s together the history of Donald Trump 2016 campaign, to focus on how the birth to Thatcher’s careless stoking of the Man with the political and economic most powerful nation on earth ended opposition to her own European policy history of America, and personal up putting The Donald in charge. and Nigel Farage’s incendiary role as accounts from American voters. Peppered with sharp humour and “the pied-piper of the disaffected”. It’s these personal accounts which offering newbies to US politics a solid The broadly pro-EU authors sprinkle add real intimacy to the book and crash course what shapes the American blame over a succession of Prime offer a glimpse into the thoughts and psyche – from the Wall Street Crash Ministers and Foreign Secretaries, experiences of a polarised nation. to segregation – Sopel’s account is a concluding that the balance was tipped pacy, unintimidating guide for anybody by “people who felt left behind”, who currently looking across the pond and took “this one opportunity to cast a Reviews by Tommy Newell, Craig Ryan scratching their head. vote that would definitely, really count”. and Matt Foster.

Public Service Magazine Autumn 2017 27 Small ads

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28 Public Service Magazine Autumn 2017 Crossword

Win and learn! There will be a prize of a Post Holders by free FDA Learn/Keyskills Schadenfreude course or workshop, worth around £150, for the first The perimeter entries correct entry drawn after (clued without definitions) and four the closing date. Find out others represent an more about the courses on unbroken sequence. offer at: www.fda.org.uk/ Solvers must highlight professionaldevelopment/ the four normally clued FDA_Woorkshops.aspx entries. Perimeter or www.wearekeystone. answers are clued as if they are entered from org.uk/keyskills-courses left to right. Solution next issue.

Solution and winner Ego Trip by Incognito

CLOCKWISE PERIMETER 26 Floating through the air back into part of the 3 Mother's area of knowledge includes English (9) building (7) 7 Commercial backing wisely abandoned (8, 28 Aquatic plant engineers planted in border (7) The perimeter "MALICIOUS hyphenated) PLEASURE OBTAINED BY 21 Temperature inside blazing house close to DOWN THE MISFORTUNES OF ninety (7) 1 Idolater excited about Independent newspaper OTHER PEOPLE" defines 30 Embrace male soprano (6) article (9) SCHADENFREUDE (the true 29 Competitive event for lyric poets spanning 2 Capital India invested in large reorganised pseudonym of the setter) new year (8) society (7) which is an anagram of 26 Throw out after verbal contention (10) 3 An essential mould (4) UNDERFED and CHASE. 8 Yankee perhaps meeting Mike wearing short 4 Marine taking time away from station (3) trousers (8) Winner: Alan Walker, 5 American carrier failure probed by attorney (7, Ministry of Defence (retired). ACROSS hyphenated ) 8 Bachelor cycles round German circuits (7) 6 Resinous substance beginning to exude on 9 Anonymous cripple deserted next to a tree- diseased lime (5) How to enter lined avenue (7) 11 Necromancer drops female in US state capital (6) Crossword entries should be sent by Friday 17 November 10 Revolving disc on the front of this hand tool (6) 12 Fancy having money for new piece of 2017 to: Public Service 11 Home for colonists opposed to accepting hard mechanism! (6) Magazine crossword, FDA, lines (7, hyphenated) 15 Father organised a trip with cunning (9) 13 Failures of more than one embassy (9) Elizabeth House, 39 York Road, 18 Excuse Virginia overcome by raised disturbing 14 Hand round a soft fruit (5) London SE1 7NQ or by email sound (7) 17 Remedy incorrect values out of university (5) (with ‘PSM crossword’ as the 20 Proceeding takes place making a legal claim (7) 19 Popular Italian site alive with American subject) to [email protected] launches (9) 23 18th century Irish nationalist, upper-class and Please provide an email address very loud in the borders of Derry (5) 22 Revolutionary cruel nationalist framed again so we can tell the winner how (7) 25 St Agnes perhaps remains extremely loveable to claim their prize. 24 Kid abandoned by daughter taken in by some (4) crazy Greenlander? (6) 27 Humour's good for weak fool (3)

Public Service Magazine Autumn 2017 29 Back channel

Let’s not make Brexit even harder A policy official at one of the key Brexit- focused departments says pay restraint and a lack of political direction are undermining innovative work by the department’s civil servants.

hen the department was – after all, really interesting work doesn’t resources, but it’s not obvious that that’s announced it was a bit of a pay the bills. We’re working flat out for not being addressed. Some of the support Wsurprise to everybody. A general very much when you look at comparable functions are recruiting, but not – in my expression of interest for more people was roles in the private sector and, in some view – with the scale and urgency that published across the civil service in 2016, parts of the organisation, we are they need to get it all under control. and I thought: ‘I want to be part of this, it struggling to find the best people. They There’s also the issue of political sounds really interesting. It’s probably look at the job and think, “Oh I could go and direction. With so many different people, going to be the biggest thing we’ll ever work somewhere else and earn £20,000 a departments and stakeholders involved in work on.’ Given that the prime minister year more. Why shouldn’t I?” Brexit, keeping everybody aware of said. “I want a new department and I want We do have a significant problem with what’s going on at any given stage it tomorrow”, I think the civil service has turnover. I don’t think ministers have becomes more and more complicated. adapted marvellously – particularly as the cottoned on to just how bad it is, or the Pulling people’s views on board and UK is still working out where we want to fact that it is going to get significantly prioritising them is quite a challenge, but I be at the end of it. worse over the department’s lifetime. think it’s being done as well as it can be on The way that we’ve built an ‘all in it People are starting to think, “What next?”, an official level. together’ environment has been and when you already have that kind of The challenge is more at the political incredible. I’ve never seen anything like it, mentality, it’s much easier in your head to level, where not everybody agrees, even certainly not within this kind of timescale. jump ship rather than stick around. That on the general way forward. That’s very We’ve got really well-established and uncertainty adds to the pretty high stress difficult to deal with as civil servants – it’s innovative diversity and inclusion levels that are already here. not up to us to decide on the outcome. networks to make sure that everybody’s In some departments you get a real ‘us Ministers need to identify what they want getting the opportunities they should and them’ feel, with the support to do and then we can do it. The entire have. There’s also a lot of attention being mechanisms — whether it’s IT, finance or purpose of the civil service is to enact the paid to personal development and HR. That’s very much not the case here will of the government, and to make that learning, and everybody – all the way up and, given their extremely limited work. But when government doesn’t to the top – is aware that we’re a resources, they’re certainly doing necessarily know what it wants, how are time-limited department and therefore everything they can to improve the we supposed to deliver? we need to make sure we’re thinking situation. But their hands are tied to a

about supporting people in their next great extent by wider civil service policy ILLUSTRATION: DAVID SIMONDS move. That’s absolutely something the or the Treasury’s pay constraints. There is rest of the civil service ought to be a sense that management would love to Back Channel is your chance to tell thinking about – there are a lot of do more and realise that pay is an issue, politicians and employers how their departments out there where they don’t for example. But when ministers say “It’s policies affect your work and your care what happens to you next. 1% or nothing”, the employer only has so organisation. If you’d like to work with a So it’s a unique employer, with some much leeway to make changes. There are reporter on your own story, email us at marvellous challenges you won’t find certainly some parts of the organisation [email protected] using a personal e-mail anywhere else. But that only goes so far where it feels like we urgently need more account. Anonymity is guaranteed.

30 Public Service Magazine Autumn 2017

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