The Cabinet Secretary has called for “radical change” to address the challenges facing the Civil Service, warning that it is on a “burning platform”.
In a speech at the London School of Economics, Antonia Romeo outlined transformative measures the government is taking to function effectively in the face of what it has identified as its five major pressures: the rapid advancement of AI, new global threats facing the UK, declining trust in public institutions, reduced public service productivity, and the urgency of delivering devolution.
Such measures include introducing more flexible ways of working, the ethical and transparent deployment of AI, and an overhaul of the system of incentives within the Civil Service.
These reforms form part of the “Future Civil Service programme” which is centred around improving delivery, increasing innovation and productivity, and boosting pride and trust in the institution.
Romeo said: “The legitimacy of an impartial Civil Service can come only from its effectiveness”.
She added: “Amid global uncertainty, rapid technological change, and a clear new direction from the Prime Minister, the imperative for radical reform is irrefutable.”
To support delivery in this context, Romeo announced that the government would “rewire” its structures and processes to incentivise performance and learning, as well as introduce more flexible ways of working, such as through small “Frontier Teams” with licence to quickly recruit specialist talent and redesign outdated processes.
As part of its commitment to innovation and productivity, she stated that the government will continue to deploy artificial intelligence in an “ethical and transparent” way to make the UK a “global leader in safe, AI-enabled state transformation”.
This deployment will be accompanied by wider changes to how public services are delivered and the processes underpinning them. Meanwhile, a programme led by the First Secretary of State will seek to remove administrative barriers to delivery, focusing on areas including consultation, legal considerations and judicial review.
In order to increase pride and trust in the Civil Service, Romeo announced that the government would endeavour to offer great talent development, simplify recruitment processes, and reform its Fast Stream graduate scheme, expanding it and placing greater emphasis on place, AI, and training and performance management.
Managers will also receive training to recognise and reward strong performance, while taking 'decisive action' to address underperformance. To ensure that Civil Service values remain relevant for the current era, a new Civil Service Code will be published in Spring.
A review which is due to be presented to the Prime Minister before next summer will outline a vision for the Civil Service’s future for the decades ahead.
The “Review into the Organisation, Performance and Transformation of the Permanent Civil Service” will examine whether existing departmental structures are suited to delivering cross-government objectives, how AI and devolution could reshape boundaries and accountability within the Civil Service, and how the skills and capabilities needed at national, regional and local levels can be developed.
Featured Image Credit: Civil Service Blog