By Richard Johnstone | 8 December 2014
Greater clarity over the accountability and expectations of public bodies is vital amid government reforms to the delivery of public services, the head of a government-backed improvement initiative has said.
Chris Banks, chair of the Public Chairs’ Forum formed to boost the efficiency and effectiveness of public sector bodies, told Public Finance that recommendations by the Public Administration Select Committee to improve accountability were to be welcomed.
Last month, the committee called on the government to produce a clear ‘map of state' setting out the roles and responsibilities of quangos and agencies, after finding that the current arrangements lacked clarity.
Speaking to PF, Banks said that report ‘struck a chord’ with the PCF, particularly the emphasis on between government and public bodies.
‘I think we do, or I certainly do, like the idea of a taxonomy as its referred to in this report.
‘The reason for that isn’t about tying it up to make it nice and neat, but its for clarity, and that clarity of roles and expectations is what will help significantly with the accountability as well.’
Improved clarity could help improve the relationship between public bodies and their sponsoring department as well as making it clearer to the rest of the public sector who is responsible for what, he said.
This would reflect the reality that these organisations are working in a whole series of different partnerships, he said, as initiatives such as the government’s Troubled Families Programme require more inter-agency working.
‘Clarity around the key accountability and exceptions will help not just in the relationships with the sponsoring department but also in the relationships and partnerships with other organisations too.
‘During a period of change, and frankly we’re all going through a series of changes to the landscape of public bodies that are going to continue, clarity of exceptions and accountability becomes even more important,’ he added.
‘It makes it even more important at time of change – of reorganisation, of reinventing the delivery of public services. It is even more important to be clear about the expectations and accountabilities.’
He said that chairs of public bodies feel very accountable, and they’ve often found it difficult to understand how be more so.
‘Yet I do feel that sometimes public bodies are regarded as not being clear as to where the accountabilities lie.
‘So to have the accountabilities clarified and then, because of that, recognised I think will help significantly in enabling public bodies to do what they do best, which is to deliver public services and government priorities efficiently and effectively.’
