| |
FALCONER PRAISES SOUTH YORKS TRAILBLAZERS
Cabinet Office Minister Lord Falconer today praised two trailblazing Modernising Government projects in Rotherham which are helping to transform public services with new ideas and the latest technology.
First he met members of the “youth cabinet” after their latest session. The cabinet is a key part of the borough council’s recent initiative aimed at encouraging young people to take an active part in wider community issues.
Lord Falconer described the youth cabinet, made up of twelve 15 and 16-year-olds from six comprehensive schools – Wath, Swinton, Wickersley, Thrybergh, Rawmarsh and Pope Pius – as an excellent example of the way new ideas can be brought into the delivery of public services.
Later, he visited the town’s East Dene Junior and Infants School where he sat in on a lesson in citizenship.
Headteacher Howard White said citizenship “covers all sorts of things like personal responsibility and the environment. The lessons start when the children are five.”
Lord Falconer, who was on the latest in a series of visits by Ministers to see the frontline delivery of public services and get feedback from customers, said: “I was very impressed with the new ways of working and the innovative approach to delivering services.
“These new approaches have already made a real difference to the lives of many people.
“Modernising is all about empowering workers, improving services for users, restoring confidence in public services and public service.
“Too often the changes that have brought about real improvements remain little known or celebrated. We are determined to celebrate these successes. They deserve recognition and in this way we can encourage them to be more widely adopted, helping those with new ideas to put them into practice.”
He said the key to a successful Modernising Government programme was a public service ethos.
“This must be integral to our strategy. The workforce is the most important asset of the public sector, and there is a real need to invest in staff and to meet the challenges of technology by building on their skills.
“There are a number of reasons why the modernisation programme must succeed. There is a need for every organisation to improve continuously and there is a growing demand from citizens to be treated as customers and to get the results they need.”
Lord Falconer said the vision for modernisation applied to all parts of the public sector – the NHS, schools, prisons, the Forces, local authorities, agencies and central government departments.
“It means joining up. Good government need not be big government. Rather, it is about working in partnership with town halls, unions and the private and voluntary sectors to deliver the best possible services. It is about working together in ways that haven’t happened before. It’s not about dogma, it’s about what works.
“We’ve made a good start, but it is a long-term programme, not about quick wins. There will always be more to do.
“Only by working together will we succeed in our ultimate goals of giving a better service to the citizen and to get more job satisfaction.”
|
