Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service and Secretary to the Executive, Northern Ireland Executive
In a year of political and economic change, what was your highlight of 2010?
2010 has been a busy year in the Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS), as we have supported the institutions of government and ministers to deliver the executive’s Programme for Government.
A particularly significant development was the devolution of justice and policing powers in April. There was extensive work involved in effecting the smooth transfer of these functions and the creation of the Department of Justice.
My second highlight is our progress with the NI Direct [Northern Ireland’s equivalent of Directgov] – a key example of the type of innovation and collaboration that, I believe, is required to meet the challenge of better services in times of budgetary constraint. Organised around themes, the NI Direct website is now the single point of entry for all government information in Northern Ireland, and attracts upwards of 250,000 visits per month, enabling a significant reduction in the number of our websites.
My final highlight was the NICS Live event we held in November, focused on the theme of better citizen service in tough financial times. Delivered in partnership with [CSW’s publisher] Dods at no cost to the public purse, this event provided a valuable opportunity for civil servants from all the NI departments to come together to share learning and stimulate the innovation needed to meet the budgetary challenges. Feedback from the 1,700 attendees, including ministers and private sector sponsors, was very positive.
What is the most challenging management task facing the civil service now?
As for most public bodies, the most challenging management task facing the civil service will be managing the changes flowing from the spending review. Ensuring the delivery of effective and efficient public services will be an important part of meeting the challenge. In the NICS we will be building on the solid progress already achieved in improving financial management, reducing staff numbers through detailed workforce planning, and realising the full benefits from the shared services we have implemented across all departments for our corporate support functions.
What’s the key to succeeding in that task?
The improvements achieved in the NICS in devolution demonstrate that the challenge can be met, but to do so requires the acceptance of the need for substantial and radical change in this new context. Key to succeeding in the task will be leadership, collaboration and professional management of performance.
What was the best Christmas present that you’ve ever given or received? And the worst?
The best is easy – a bottle of Krug. The worst was a furry cover for my car’s steering wheel!