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Public sector recruitment specialist, John Smith, agrees with minister John Healey that civil servants need to get out in order to get on. In his recent article, minister for local government, John Healey, underlined the need for senior civil servants to ‘get out to get on', and gave illustrations of what he meant, namely, civil servants moving into delivery organisations, such as local government. He is, of course, absolutely right, but the roots of what appears to be a growing disconnection between this country's citizens and those who govern us go much deeper than this move which will, of itself, only go so far in addressing the issue. The roots are threefold – the all-too-often absence of frontline face-to-face experience – not just managerial experience; the growing complexity of the structures that govern us; and the growing alienation of people from politics. Simply moving from a managerial position in central government to one in, say, local government will not necessarily change much. There needs to be a sea change in how civil servants see their career paths – they will need to get out and, in many cases, stay out. And they will, if they wish to return, have had to come face to face with delivery in terms such as running a local housing office in an area of multiple deprivation. Services such as this are those which make a real difference to people's lives and, if those who make policy have actually run them, then there is more chance of sensible policy-making – perhaps stupidities such as the abolition of the 10p tax band – or reducing VAT by 2.5%? – may never have happened. The sheer complexity of public administration is a fundamental factor in slowing down, or negating, service delivery across the public sector. The plethora of acronyms, the agreements, the partnerships, the meetings – all absorb time and resources and involve, often, compromises that dilute accountability, lead to risk aversion rather than risk management, and stifle innovation. Perhaps the most worrying factor of all is the growing alienation of people from politics. Part of this flows from the experiences of many citizens in dealing with policy-bound public servants, part from the complexity of the rules which increasingly govern – and intrude into – their lives, but a large part is the fault of politicians themselves. Like civil servants, they need to get out more. A good start would be made in tackling this threefold-rooted problem if: * no civil servant was to enter the senior Civil Service without a serious stint – at least two years – in a frontline job * the structures which govern us are simplified, rather than constantly being made more complex – there is a strong case for every law and statutory instrument to have a three-year ‘sunset' clause * MPs and ministers were required to have a hinterland outside politics – an incestuous political class and democracy are, in the end, incompatible. John Smith is chairman of Public Appointments Ltd

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WHITEHALL

Frontline experience is essential

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