18 July 2008
Three Whitehall departments have displayed marked improvements in their performance in a round of follow-up capability reviews, showing 'compelling' evidence that they have acted on previous findings.
The most significant improvement was at the Home Office, which scored substantially better on all the areas that had warranted concern two years ago, when the reviews were carried out.
Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus O'Donnell said the Home Office was in a 'very bad state' in 2006, but had 'improved quite dramatically'. The changes included 159 new appointments to the board and at director and deputy director level, while improved 'corporate discipline' and financial functions mean its accounts are no longer qualified.
The follow-up reviews, published on July 17, also looked at the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Children, Schools and Families, which both improved in several areas. O'Donnell said the DWP had faced the most 'challenging head-count reduction', and productivity had increased in the past two years.
The DCSF was praised for creating the Children's Plan, which had helped define the purpose of the department, although building a common purpose was identified as a 'development area'.
The Capability Reviews Team in the Cabinet Office is responsible for the overall process, which looks at leadership, strategy and delivery, with external reviewers brought in, including local authority chief executives. There is a moderating panel to ensure fair assessment.
O'Donnell said the first reviews had been challenging, but the emphasis on the negative findings has been, in a sense, necessary to establish a credible process. And now civil servants were fully participating in the process.
'They know it is really important to the departments. Departments want to be seen to be improving,' he said.
There will be more follow-up reviews in the autumn for other departments. In future, the reviews might look more at cross-departmental targets.
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