Letter from the First Civil Service Commissioner

Civil Service Code

The Civil Service Code has been a major focus of activity for the Commissioners over the past two years. Last year, with the support of the Cabinet Secretary, we introduced a full audit of the activities of departments and agencies to uphold and promote the values in the Code. We have done a great deal of work this year to feed back to departments the results of this audit and to share examples of good practice. We will be conducting another audit in spring 2011.

We have also worked with the Cabinet Office to include questions on the Code in the Civil Service Staff survey. The results of the first survey in October 2009 were encouraging; 75% of staff who responded said they were aware of the Code, 44% said they knew how to raise a concern, 58% were confident that a concern would be properly investigated. This first Civil Service-wide survey has provided valuable baseline data to allow us to monitor knowledge and confidence in the Code going forward.

Last year we reported on work that was underway to reassess all our policies and practices in handling Civil Service Code appeals. As a result of that work we have published a suite of web-based guidance documents, which together outline our approach to hearing an appeal under the Civil Service Code.  We hope that the new guides will help to increase understanding of the appeal process among civil servants and departments.

Strategy

In 2006-07 the Commissioners outlined an ambitious three year strategy to 2010. The strategy outlined the Commissioners’ ambition to be an exemplary regulator, to be strong and effective guarantors of the principle of recruitment on merit, to be upholders of Civil Service values, and to effectively communicate their work to civil servants and stakeholders. We can report substantial and significant achievements against this strategy.

The changing context

Much has changed in the three years since we articulated our strategy.

The coalition government has just outlined an ambitious and challenging programme to reduce significantly the structural deficit over the life of this parliament. As part of this programme there is a freeze on all Civil Service external recruitment, apart from essential front line operations and business critical roles. There is also to be a planned reduction in the size of the Senior Civil Service.

These are understandable responses to the severe challenges facing the national finances. The restriction on external recruitment, and the shrinking of the Senior Civil Service, will, we believe, put greater focus on the fairness and openness of movement and promotion within the service. When promotion opportunities are few it is even more important that they are seen to be filled through a fair and open process. The oversight of the Senior Leadership Committee for the top 200 posts in the Civil Service might, we suggest, be extended, as a principle, to the next level of the Senior Civil Service.