This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Taking Stock review results
13/12/2006
The Executive will step up the pace of internal reform to ensure it is in the best possible shape to continue to make life better for the people of Scotland, Permanent Secretary Sir John Elvidge said today.
He was responding to the publication of an external review of the capacity of the Executive to deliver.
The Executive commissioned the Taking Stock review to ensure the organisation is well-placed to deal with future challenges.
He said the Executive would build on progress made with a range of actions to step up the pace of internal reform, including:
- Restructuring its Management Group to ensure members are responsible as individuals for corporate tasks
- Accelerating its HR improvement programme
- Improving communications with staff
Sir John said:
"There is no doubt we have achieved much since we moved from being a government department to a government in 1999. Our activities are making life better for the people of Scotland.
"The Executive now is a very different organisation now to the one established in 1999. We have delivered a great deal of reform across the organisation and the wider public sector. But we need to keep moving forward and we need to keep changing to keep pace with the demands of all the people we serve.
"That is why we initiated this Taking Stock review - to ensure we are in the best possible shape to deal with the challenges ahead.
"The report carried out by the external team clearly recognises we have delivered significant achievements across a whole range of areas. That is a tribute to our hard-working and dedicated staff. There is also, of course, room for improvement and the report highlighted areas where we can do better.
"The Taking Stock report and the findings from the 2006 employee survey and the 2005 stakeholder survey have informed the range of actions I am outlining.
"We have achieved much - but I accept the report in full and will ensure we tackle vigorously the areas in which we need to improve. That is what the people we serve expect and deserve."
The Taking Stock review was carried out by:
- John Hunter, Permanent Secretary, Northern Ireland Department of Finance and Personnel
- Ian Kerr, Chief Executive of Egg
- Neil Kinghan, Director-General Local Government, Department for Communities and Local Government
- Mark Lloyd, Chief Exec, Durham County Council
- Mary Marsh, Chief Exec, National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children