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The Department of Health’s director general for social care, local government and care partnerships tells Winnie Agbonlahor about a career spent working across boundaries

Stephen Ibbotson, director of business at the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), offers his peers in the finance profession a view from outside government

Julian Kelly is the government’s first ever director-general of public spending and finance. He tells Winnie Agbonlahor about his plans for strengthening the profession

Austerity has transformed SCS recruitment. Winnie Agbonlahor finds that departments are now looking more in than out, and shaking it all about. Illustration: Matt Kenyon

New chief executive of the civil service John Manzoni named “clarity, accountability and delegation” as “opportunities for improvement” in public sector management.

The women leading the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman and the Local Government Ombudsman are calling for their organisations to be merged and strengthened, making life easier for service users. Winnie Agbonlahor meets them

NHS chief executive Simon Stevens has made ambitious promises to the Health Select Committee. 

Hilary Spencer became the new director of Civil Service Learning (CSL) at the end of October, taking over from Jerry Arnott, who retired from the civil service.

The Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has appointed Professor John Loughhead as its new chief scientific adviser. Loughhead, who took his post on 22 October, was previously executive director at the UK Energy Research Centre – a publicly-funded institute – and will keep this role on a part-time basis until December.

Dr Tim Fox, head of energy and environment at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, offers his peers in the Science and Engineering profession a view from outside government

The government’s chief scientific adviser and head of the science and engineering profession, Sir Mark Walport, tells CSW about his priorities in the role

Sir Jonathon Porritt has been an environmental campaigner for 40 years – including nine spent working directly with civil servants. He tells Winnie Agbonlahor why, despite his disappointment with the ‘greenest government ever’, he has reasons to be optimistic

CSW asks former ministers to appraise the UK civil service. This month, Charles Clarke gives his views.

Alex Younger has today taken up his new role as chief of the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), taking over from Sir John Sawers, who retired after five years in the post. 

Susanne Baker, senior climate & environment policy adviser at EEF, the Manufacturer’s Organisation

Victor Adebowale may be a peer of the realm, but his ideas for public service reform – built on 30 years’ experience in housing and social care – challenge established thinking. Winnie Agbonlahor meets him

After my friend and I stumbled across Studio6 some months ago, I had been proclaiming it as one of London’s best hidden gems. Located a 30-second walk from the river Thames, amongst a nice bunch of other unique-looking restaurants, it offers a bright and inviting interior; a lovely beer garden; a good selection of wine and draft beer; and reasonable prices. After that discovery, my friend returned several times and spoke enthusiastically about the food.

Winnie Agbonlahor meets the new Treasury solicitor and head of the legal profession, Jonathan Jones – a man trying to bring all the government’s lawyers into a single force

Chris Wormald tells Winnie Agbonlahor how he's trying to raise the standard of policymaking across government - without imposing too much central control

MPs are sceptical about the rush to appoint a CEO, reports Winnie Agbonlahor.

Appointments, job changes and exits among senior civil servants and key figures in the wider public service

Graham Allen, chair of the Political and Constitutional Reform Select Committee, tells Winnie Agbonlahor why government must increase its focus on the long term

John Pullinger has this month started his new job as the UK’s new national statistician. He tells Winnie Agbonlahor about his priorities in the role.

A whip round June's interesting committee reports and hearings, with Winnie Agbonlahor

The government’s controversial patient record-sharing programme care.data, paused in February after noisy opposition, will be restarted as a pilot this autumn, according to NHS England’s national director for patients and information Tim Kelsey.

The government has found cross-departmental working more “problematic” than improving coordination at the centre, cabinet secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood told the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on 7 July.​

The UK Border Agency (UKBA), which was this year abolished by home secretary Theresa May, was “never going to work”, its former chief Rob Whiteman told the Public Administration Select Committee on 17 June.

The civil service is “one of the key players in resisting the devolution” of powers from Whitehall to local authorities, Clive Betts, chair of the Communities and Local Government Select Committee, has told CSW.