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BS2912 Public Administration in Britain

BS2912 Public Administration in Britain. 5: Agencies; Best Value. BS2912 Public Administration in Britain 5: Agencies; Best Value. Next Steps Report (1988) proposes:

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BS2912 Public Administration in Britain

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  1. BS2912 Public Administration in Britain 5: Agencies; Best Value

  2. BS2912 Public Administration in Britain 5: Agencies; Best Value Next Steps Report (1988) proposes: • All the executive functions of government (paying benefits, issuing licences, collecting taxes) should be responsibility of agencies • Agency managers should have considerable freedom to manage their agency, leading to managerial efficiency • By 1998 there were 138 agencies operating

  3. BS2912 Public Administration in Britain 5: Agencies; Best Value Next Steps Report (1988) proposes: • Own Chief Executives (not Ministers) • Own internal accounting procedures • Own responsibility for ‘pay and rations’ within a fixed budget • A framework document to define responsibilities • Series of performance indicators to judge effectiveness

  4. BS2912 Public Administration in Britain 5: Agencies; Best Value Examples: • Employment Service  Meteorological Office • Prison Service  UK Passport Agency • Benefits Agency  Ordnance Survey • DVLA  Office of National • Highways Agency Statistics

  5. BS2912 Public Administration in Britain 5: Agencies; Best Value Has it worked ? [1] Survey by Karbhari & Pendlebury concludes: • Agency managers perceive they have more freedom • Argue for increased effectiveness, value-for-money • But accounting systems (annuality, virement) do not fit easily with agencification • Budgetary controls were restrictive

  6. BS2912 Public Administration in Britain 5: Agencies; Best Value Has it worked ? [2] • As the civil servants were previously unenthusiastic, this might be considered a good test • Respondents from trading fund agencies much more enthusiastic than others • Views of users has not yet been sought!

  7. BS2912 Public Administration in Britain 5: Agencies; Best Value Pessimistic view of Next Steps • Private sector working practices needed to pervade Whitehall • ‘Public service ethos’ does not exist • Not ‘what can we sell’ but ‘what must we keep’ • Accountability is fudged • All agencies should be considered for privatisation at least once every five years

  8. BS2912 Public Administration in Britain 5: Agencies; Best Value Optimistic view of Next Steps • Logical development from Raynor efficiency scrutinies • Move from a monolithic to a more federal structure • Benefits perceived for both Ministers and Chief Executives as well as the customer, the taxpayer, and agency staff

  9. BS2912 Public Administration in Britain 5: Agencies; Best Value Accountability [1] • Constitutional theory is that policy is decided by the Minister who is answerable to Parliament • Day-to-day operations are handled by the agency • A ‘framework’ document defines the responsibility of each to the other • Neither should ‘dabble’ in the affairs of the other

  10. BS2912 Public Administration in Britain 5: Agencies; Best Value Accountability [2] • But in the case of a large agency (e.g. Prisons) it is hard to divorce ‘policy’ from ‘operations’ e.g. is ‘locking up prisoners up all day’ a policy descision or an operational decision ? • In practice, accountability is weakened if chief executives cannot be questioned by Parliament • Small agencies now have no political control (because they are under control of civil servants)

  11. BS2912 Public Administration in Britain 5: Agencies; Best Value Recent Developments • Accent not on creating new agencies but developing performance initiatives within them • Two thirds of agencies are now engaged in benchmarking against the Business Excellence Model • Agency Performance and Efficiency

  12. BS2912 Public Administration in Britain 5: Agencies; Best Value Best Value • Has replaced CCT (Compulsory Competitive Tendering) • Is now regarded as a key point in modernising local government • Requires local authorities to review functions, publish annual plans showing past and projected performance and introduce a rigorous programme of audit and inspection

  13. BS2912 Public Administration in Britain 5: Agencies; Best Value Modernising Government - Summary • Make public services available 24 hours a day • Joined up government • Remove unnecessary regulation • Deliver all dealings with government electronically by 2008 • New ‘Learning Labs’ • Incentivise public service staff • New focus on delivery

  14. BS2912 Public Administration in Britain 5: Agencies; Best Value Modernising Government - 3 aims • Joined up government • Public service users, not providers are the focus • Delivery of high quality and efficient public services

  15. BS2912 Public Administration in Britain 5: Agencies; Best Value Modernising Government - 5 commitments • Better long-term policy making (not just reacting to events) • Responsive public services • Quality public services • Information age government • Value and modernise public service, not denigrate it

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