The Strategic Management Initiative which I announced in February last set down two specific Government decisions as follows: (i) that each Secretary and head of office put in place a process of strategic management, within the framework of the Programme for Partnership Government, the National Development Plan and the Programme for Competitiveness and Work and, as a first step by end September of this year, produce a statement of strategy for their Department or office; (ii) that a new co-ordinating group of secretaries be established with a three part remit: to facilitate the preparation of strategy statements in Departments and offices; to recommend the ways in which interacting departmental strategies should be co-ordinated to achieve the benefits of an overall view and to recommend management changes to enable individual secretaries to manage more efficiently and effectively.
The present position is that the process of strategic management is in place right across the Civil Service and each Department and office has produced or will shortly finalise a strategy statement. Such statements are, of course, only the beginning of the process. The next phase will involve developing implementation programmes for achieving the strategic goals identified, including in certain cases organisational changes. The co-ordinating group of secretaries is now developing best practice from the strategy statements and working with all secretaries and heads of offices to put that best practice into operation across the Civil Service. Dialogue between the group and individual secretaries is proceeding. The co-ordinating group is producing a first report to Government on possible approaches to interacting strategies across individual departmental areas of activity and on changes, specifically in the personnel and finance areas, which will assist departmental managements to manage better. I understand the co-ordinating group will make that first report to Government next month.
I am satisfied that the Strategic Management Initiative was, is and will be a particularly worthwhile initiative. Departments and offices have stated that they already have benefited significantly from improved internal communication and greater clarity of objectives within their areas of responsibility. The outcome in terms of statements of strategy across the Civil Service and the identification of obstacles to good management will enable the Government to consider how best the process may be developed and accelerated.
The Government look forward to having the first report of the co-ordinating group. As I said in February last, strategic management must become an ongoing process in Departments and the real benefits will come only from commitment over time. For their part the Government will provide the political leadership and support to ensure that those benefits are realised.