Ministerial leadership of public service reform

Public services shape people’s everyday experiences of the state, from healthcare and education to welfare and policing. Successive governments have promised reform across these sectors, yet delivering sustained improvement has often proved difficult. 

For ministers today, charged with leading ambitious reform agendas in constrained fiscal and political conditions, the task can feel daunting – particularly as much of the delivery of these reforms takes place on the frontline, at arm’s length from ministers themselves.

But ministers have a crucial role to play, and this role extends long beyond announcing a new policy. Even in a fragmented delivery landscape, there are specific things that only ministers can do and choices only they can make.

This insight paper draws on studies of successful public service reform, including Nick Gibb’s school reforms, Jacqui Smith’s work on neighbourhood policing, and the previous Labour government’s Sure Start programme. It explores what effective leadership looks like in public service reform, and the lessons this holds for current and future ministers.

This paper is part of a package of IfG Academy resources designed to support ministers and their teams.