Government needs ‘ruthless focus’ not ‘everythingism’, think tank argues
26 Mar Project Delivery

Government needs ‘ruthless focus’ not ‘everythingism’, think tank argues

Reform says belief that all projects and policies can aid all objectives is crippling delivery
by Jim Dunton
Departments getting better at evaluating major projects
24 Apr Project Delivery
Departments getting better at evaluating major projects
Former DfT director appointed as NISTA chief exec
17 Apr Project Delivery
Former DfT director appointed as NISTA chief exec
Continuing overspends on major capital projects in Northern Ireland dubbed 'unacceptable'
08 Apr Project Delivery
Continuing overspends on major capital projects in Northern Ireland dubbed 'unacceptable'
Civil service leaders must get better at deep listening
02 May 2024 Project Delivery
Civil service leaders must get better at deep listening
Does it bother you as much as it does me that across government, we can still be way too slow to spot and act on serious problems before they materialise or grow into national scandals?
Free childcare expansion 'feasible', DfE says amid concern over provision of places
05 Apr 2024 Project Delivery
Free childcare expansion 'feasible', DfE says amid concern over provision of places
But a potential shortfall of childcare places is a risk to the reforms, according to perm sec Susan Acland-Hood
HMRC rapped for 'unsatisfactory' assurances on Making Tax Digital
04 Apr 2024 Project Delivery
HMRC rapped for 'unsatisfactory' assurances on Making Tax Digital
PAC urges perm sec to "reconsider" answers on how department will address concerns about accountability and software
Cutting civil service jobs could cost more in the long run, PAC chair warns
28 Mar 2024 Project Delivery
Cutting civil service jobs could cost more in the long run, PAC chair warns
Meg Hillier's annual report calls for urgent investment in "big nasties" including ageing IT, the schools estate and hospitals
Delving under the surface – how government can save billions by tackling fraud and error
21 Mar 2024 Project Delivery
Delving under the surface – how government can save billions by tackling fraud and error
The National Audit Office is increasingly focusing on how government is tackling fraud and error and, as the NAO's director of fraud and propriety Joshua Reddaway argues, billions could be saved by getting this right
Major projects: NAO report highlights need for ‘clear vision’ and better evaluation
26 Feb 2024 Project Delivery
Major projects: NAO report highlights need for ‘clear vision’ and better evaluation
The public spending watchdog has worked with officials to come up with advice on how to get value from major projects
Boosting public sector productivity could save tens of billions – NAO
16 Jan 2024 Project Delivery
Boosting public sector productivity could save tens of billions – NAO
"It is relatively easy to cut spending" if government takes the right steps, Gareth Davies will tell MPs today
Departments’ funding woes could hamper £229m data-sharing platform
16 Jan 2024 Project Delivery
Departments’ funding woes could hamper £229m data-sharing platform
National statistician Ian Diamond updates MPs as Integrated Data Service moves towards full rollout
HS2 chief says pared-back rail line could cost £67bn
11 Jan 2024 Project Delivery
HS2 chief says pared-back rail line could cost £67bn
Jon Thompson warns MPs soaring inflation will add up to £10bn to current estimate of £49bn-£56.6bn
Places for Growth: Which departments are leading the way in London jobs exodus?
14 Dec 2023 Project Delivery
Places for Growth: Which departments are leading the way in London jobs exodus?
New stats reveal most popular destinations for job relocations, which grades are moving most and the departments playing the biggest role
MPs sound alarm on DWP’s £1bn Health Transformation Programme
01 Dec 2023 Project Delivery
MPs sound alarm on DWP’s £1bn Health Transformation Programme
New service for disability-benefit claimants faces “significant risks” that have derailed other major projects, Public Accounts Committee says
MoD creates more routes for officials to raise safety concerns following review
28 Nov 2023 Project Delivery
MoD creates more routes for officials to raise safety concerns following review
Department outlines steps taken to address systematic and institutional issues raised in Ajax Lessons Learned Review
'Our job is to bring people and issues together': A guide to the project delivery profession
23 Nov 2023 Project Delivery
'Our job is to bring people and issues together': A guide to the project delivery profession
In this series, CSW provides a guide to professions and functions across the civil service. Each briefing looks at a different group, offering a glimpse of what they do and how they work with different parts of government
Cash boost and ambition needed to improve UK infrastructure, advisers say
18 Oct 2023 Project Delivery
Cash boost and ambition needed to improve UK infrastructure, advisers say
UK is at a “pivotal moment... to make a major difference to this country’s future", but must “get on with it”, commission says
DHSC details £700m NHS plans to counter unsafe concrete
18 Oct 2023 Project Delivery
DHSC details £700m NHS plans to counter unsafe concrete
Second perm sec Shona Dunn tells MPs four-year RAAC bill is “likely” to rise if capital contingency spending is prioritised
Auditor KPMG hit with ‘record’ £21m fine for Carillion failings
13 Oct 2023 Project Delivery
Auditor KPMG hit with ‘record’ £21m fine for Carillion failings
Scrutiny of collapsed outsourcer’s finances was “very bad, over an extended period”, boss admits
TfL veteran appointed to National Infrastructure Commission
12 Oct 2023 Project Delivery
TfL veteran appointed to National Infrastructure Commission
Michèle Dix was managing director of planning and Crossrail 2 at Transport for London
HS2 and A-levels scrapped: All of Sunak's Conservative conference announcements
05 Oct 2023 Project Delivery
HS2 and A-levels scrapped: All of Sunak's Conservative conference announcements
PM promises "better transport connections in the north" as he scraps Manchester leg of HS2 rail link
Honesty needed over problematic major projects, PAC says
15 Sep 2023 Project Delivery
Honesty needed over problematic major projects, PAC says
Officials need help to make “hard decisions” on projects that are failing
Making civil servants' jobs easier with 'nerdy tech' - Mark Thompson interview
13 Jul 2023 Project Delivery
Making civil servants' jobs easier with 'nerdy tech' - Mark Thompson interview
The next phases of government’s data revolution have the potential to truly transform the way the civil service operates, but business cases are not enough to deliver results. Suzannah Brecknell talks to Mark Thompson, director of data, platforms and interoperability in the Cabinet Office’s Government People Group
Too many cooks in the kitchen? Here’s a recipe for cross-government success
12 Jul 2023 Project Delivery
Too many cooks in the kitchen? Here’s a recipe for cross-government success
Complex challenges increasingly require officials to work across departmental boundaries, but it's not always easy to deliver on these shared projects. Sian Jones offers advice from the latest National Audit Office guide which aims to help civil servants get better together
NAO report spotlights ‘pitfalls’ for cross-department working
07 Jul 2023 Project Delivery
NAO report spotlights ‘pitfalls’ for cross-department working
Research finds 63% of civil servants see data-sharing issues as a barrier to collaboration
Motorola removed from government strategic suppliers list following ESN exit
18 May 2023 Project Delivery
Motorola removed from government strategic suppliers list following ESN exit
Company claims excision from roster of Whitehall's most significant commercial partners is a "routine update"
Delivery of troubled Home Office comms network programme pushed back to 2029
12 May 2023 Project Delivery
Delivery of troubled Home Office comms network programme pushed back to 2029
Work on Emergency Services Network began in 2015 and is now expected to complete a full decade behind original schedule