Following the General Election, there was speculation that David Cameron would seize the opportunity to reform Whitehall, abolish departments and signal a radical change to the way that Government works. That didn’t happen but it will and we should all need to be ready for it.
When reform takes place it means that engagement will change. How it will change will depend on the nature of the final reforms but we can already see some trends and by looking at previous statements we can start to draw some conclusions.
There are many reasons why the Government is looking at reform ranging from the need to save money through to the belief that the civil service is failing to implement policies, putting barriers in the way of reform and / or have their own agenda.
Now that the Conservatives have a majority, they can get on with reform and will feel less constrained.
But why are they looking at reform?
- The Government will need to show solidarity with those on whom cuts will be imposed. If welfare is to be cut and some tax rates are to change then central Government too needs to face the same challenges – ‘we are all in this together’.
- It fits the Government’s agenda. The Government believes in smaller Government and wants civil servants to work in a different way.
- The new Minister wants to make a mark. There is consistency with the agenda initially introduced by previous incumbent Francis Maude but all the indications so far is that Matthew Hancock wants to go further and faster. The words ‘draconian’ and ‘purge’ have apparently been uttered.
- Devolution is not just about cities. Discussions around the Cities and Local Government Devolution Bill have rightly so far concentrated on the welcome shift of power to the local level. But what is also clear is that if central government is doing less then it too will need to change.
There is some speculation that changes could happen around next May (2016). That would ensure that new Ministers have had some time in place and been able to do a job. The timing would not appear unseemingly hasty.
A recent written statement shifted responsibility for cities from the Cabinet Office to the Department for Communities and Local Government. This could indicate that the Cabinet Office is returning to its roots and will once again become a slimmed down overseer of the civil service.
Before the election, the idea of a new Department for Infrastructure seemed to be taking hold as it offered the opportunity of department mergers on a substantial scale. That could well still be on the cards and has significant supporters such as former transport minister, Stephen Hammond MP.
For those looking to engage, change is coming. There will be more job losses across the whole of the civil service. This will mean challenges for engagement not just in terms of who to engage but also in terms of the expertise and experience of those that remain in place. It may also mean that if barriers to engagement have existed before then they are removed.
It could shift where policy-making actually happens. Previous ideas of the outsourcing of policy development, for instance to think tanks, could go still further. Other consultancy firms may fancy their chances, especially the management consultants.
Government could, for instance, set out an agenda and what it wants to achieve and the consultancies could then compete for the policy development. The slimmed down civil service would then be given the task of assessing and selecting the options. In other words, a tender exercise for policy development.
Though all of this does bring with it the need for ever-greater levels of transparency and reporting.
The key at this stage is to recognise that the Civil Service and Whitehall will change and to start thinking through the implications for you and your organisation.