Smarter Government?‏

Tuesday’s Downing Street press briefing flagged up Cabinet discussions on proposals for ‘smarter government’ due to be published next week. http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page21552
This followed an FT report of a leaked documents outlining Government plans for further decimation of the civil service. http://blogs.ft.com/westminster/2009/11/save-up-to-xbn-a-year-government-on-the-hoof/

Yet again these are examples of New Labour’s ‘quart out of a pint pot’ theory of public service financing. Similar to the ‘total place’ policies which emerged from the Bichard review, the Gershon efficiency drives over the past 5 years and of course the post-CCT best value service reviews predicated on significant budget reductions.

Like many New Labour public policy fads the concept of ‘smarter government’ emerges from the US http://smartergovernment.com/ and it’s interesting to note key influences on its Cabinet Office proponent Liam Byrne MP – outlined in a transcript of a July RSA seminar on the no-brainer subject of ‘do people need community any more?
http://www.thersa.org/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/215519/Etzioni-2009-transcript.pdf

UNISON Active will provide an analysis of the smarter government proposals upon publication next week.