New ‘competency framework’ for the civil service

You could be forgiven for missing it, but from April, major change was afoot in Whitehall. The introduction of the new ‘competency framework’ will alter the way that civil servants are recruited, promoted and managed. The framework is one of the main recommendations from 'The Civil Service Reform Plan' published last June, intended to bring about a “pacier, innovative and results-orientated culture”.

The Plan also committed to improve “the skills, abilities and performance of civil servants”, most notably by placing more value on commercial and technical expertise. In particular, it highlights that project management capabilities are in need of “a serious upgrade”. At the heart of it, the government is trying to make officials more accountable to the public by reducing turnover and publishing progress reports on major projects.

Challenging unsatisfactory performance, rewarding good performance and increasing the skills of the civil service are particularly pertinent issues in Westminster right now. In March, Lin Homer, chief executive of Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, was personally criticised by the Commons Public Accounts Committee for the “chaotic” state of the UK Border Agency when she was chief executive from 2008-2010.

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Ethosis aimed at public sector leaders, politicians, academics and policy specialists debating the future of public services today.