Public service commissions:
professionalism, performance - excellence

One-week study programme
17 to 21 November 2008

About the programme

Impartiality, integrity, professionalism, but above all effectiveness. These should be the hallmarks, throughout the world, of a modern civil and public service. It is usually the responsibility of a Public Service Commission to be the guardian of these principles and to ensure that appointments are made based solely on merit, following open and fair competition. It may also be the responsibility of a Public Service Commission to bring about a subtle change in the overall objectives of the civil service, its raison d’être. Of course, public servants must continue to serve Ministers and other governing bodies, but there must be an increasing focus on their ability to deliver services to citizens.

It is now more than 150 years since the publication of the Northcote Trevelyan Report in the UK. That Report established the basic principles of the UK civil service, principles that still apply today. In 1855, immediately after the publication of that report, the first Civil Service Commissioners were appointed to run entrance examinations and to give approval for the appointment of those duly qualified. In the UK the civil service, and the wider public service, has continued to evolve since then, and is still subject to institutional change and development. In 1994 a Committee on Standards in Public Life was set up, and a year later the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments was established. There is still no Civil Service Law in the UK; although there has been a vigorous debate on the need for such legislation.

Our study programme, which is held in London, uses the experience in the UK and internationally to focus on:

In previous years our participants have discussed these issues directly with the First Civil Service Commissioner, the Commissioner for Public Appointments, the Chair of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, the Chair of the House of Commons Select Committee on Public Administration and the Deputy Chair of the Civil Service Appeal Board. It is hoped that many of these sessions will be repeated this year, certainly the work of all of these institutions will be covered. The practical issues surrounding the recruitment, selection, appointment and development of civil and public servants will be dealt with, as will the main themes being addressed in the UK Government’s programme of reforming and modernising the UK civil service. The relationship between Public Service Commissions and Ministries and government agencies will be explored. Finally, participants will consider the draft Civil Service Law published in the UK, and debate its provisions with prominent commentators.

How participants will benefit

The programme will:

Who is it for?

The programme is designed to meet the needs of Public Service Commissioners and their senior staff; parliamentarians and others involved in the preparation or implementation of a Civil Service Law; and senior policy-makers and managers concerned with improving the effectiveness of public officials.

What the programme will cover

The programme will include presentations and discussions, and involve sessions with the Commissions, parliamentarians and others concerned with the governance of the civil and public service in the UK. The programme will also include visits to the key relevant UK institutions, and will provide ample opportunity for participants to share their own experiences and to speak directly to those responsible for policies and decisions in those institutions. Participants will be asked to work on a relevant case study in small groups and present their conclusions. It will also be helpful if participants prepare brief informal presentations of their work and bring with them any relevant legislation or documentation from their country.

Proposed programme outline

 

AM

PM

Day 1

Welcome and introductions
- General introduction
- Overview of institutional framework

Participants’ presentations

Visit to the Civil Service Commission
- Role and functions
- Senior recruitment and monitoring delegated powers
- Upholding core values

Day 2

The Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments
- The principles of public appointments
- Involving Ministers

The Committee on Standards in Public Life
- Overview of the work of the Committee

Day 3

The changing public sector reform agenda

The case sudy: introduction

Visit to Westminster Parliament
- The House of Commons Select Committee on Public Administration
- Discussion on a civil service law

The Civil Service Appeal Board
- Meeting with Deputy Chair
- Casework and procedures

Day 4

Civil service HR Policies: A practical viewpoint

The case study
Further work by participants

Visit to the UK Cabinet Office Corporate Development Group
- Developing the effectiveness of civil servants

Day 5

Recruitment in the UK civil service

The case study
- Presentations by participants

Review and closure
- Concluding discussions
- Participants’ action planning

The programme above sets out the specific sessions arranged in 2007. We expect to repeat this programme in 2008 but reserve the right to change it as necessary.

Location and arrival arrangements

The study programme will be based in central London. On request, PAI can assist in finding suitable hotel accommodation and can arrange travel to and from the airport.

Language

The programme will be conducted in English.  Participants will be expected to have a good working knowledge of the language.

Fees and other costs

The fee for this one-week study programme will be £1,850.  This includes tuition, travel to and from the airport, site visits (provided at cost) and documentation.  UK Valued Added Tax (VAT) will not be charged if applicants can provide written confirmation from their Government, or its accredited representative, that they are employed by their Government in furtherance of its sovereign activities.  In all other cases, VAT (currently 17.5%) will be charged in addition to the fee.  Payment in full must be received by PAI no later than 17 November 2008.  Cheques should be made payable to Public Administration International.  Alternatively, PAI is able to invoice individuals, or government agencies.  Payment by bank transfer is also acceptable.

Airfares, accommodation costs, daily travel (other than on visits scheduled in the programme), meals and living expenses are not included. We suggest that approximately £120 per person per day should be allowed for a modest standard of accommodation, local travel in the UK, meals and other incidental expenses. Participants requiring a higher standard of accommodation (for example a 4 star hotel) will need to allow approximately £175 per person per day.

Insurance

Participants are advised to arrange travel and health insurance cover before leaving their home country.

Public Administration International (PAI)

PAI specialises in management consultancy and development services for organisations in and associated with the public sector worldwide.  We provide advice and support for governments undergoing political, economic, structural and legislative change.  Our extensive network of associates includes practitioners, academics and independent consultants.

Director of Studies

The Director of Studies for the programme is Mike Fogden CB. Mike has a long and distinguished career in the UK civil service in a number of government departments. Since his retirement from the civil service he has worked as an independent consultant in Austria, Canada, China, Latvia, Lebanon, Romania, South Africa and Zimbabwe, and in 1998 he was appointed Deputy Chairman of the Civil Service Appeal Board and was Chairman of the National Blood Authority until 2006. In 2001 he was appointed as Chairman of the Accountancy Investigation and Disciplinary Board. He has worked in a range of roles handling both policy and its practical implementation and is an experienced manager, with well-developed political awareness and inter-personal skills. Until December 1996 he was Chief Executive of the Employment Service, responsible for the Jobcentre network across the UK. Prior to that he was Head of Manpower Policy Division in the Employment Department and has held various posts in both health and social security areas in the former Department of Health and Social Security. He is also a past Chairman of the First Division Association, the senior civil servants’ trade union.

How to apply

Please follow the link to complete an online application form, alternatively you can view the brochure for this study programme or contact:

Clare Walters
Public Administration International
10 Bayley Street
London, WC1B 3HB
UK

T +44 (0)20 7580 3590
F +44 (0)20 7580 4746
pai@public-admin.co.uk

Applications should be made as soon as possible as the number of available places is limited.

How to contact us

For further information about this programme or our consultancy and development services, please contact:

George Bardwell
Director
Public Administration International
10 Bayley Street
London, WC1B 3HB
UK

T +44 (0)20 7580 3590
F +44 (0)20 7580 4746
pai@public-admin.co.uk
www.public-admin.co.uk

We also have extensive experience of designing tailor-made programmes which can be run in-country or in the UK to meet the specific needs of groups or individuals.  Please contact us if you would like further information.