Letter: High price of change in public services
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Sir: It is usually going to be funny when a thousand words of journalism promises to give meaning to otherwise meaningless abstractions. Andrew Marr did not disappoint (23 February).
He rightly points to the benefits of the new managerialism in the public services. But the price to be paid, he suggests, is that Whitehall will have to tolerate mistakes - and the occasional scandal.
Oh dear. A slip of the word-pro, perhaps, but a telling one. It has been obvious for a while that the effects of the changes are understood within the walls of the public services. But by the public at large - who unwillingly provide the money? Public money has always had to be treated differently and it is not obvious to me that this has in any sense changed.
In the same issue, you report that a salary of pounds 80,000 for a public servant was a large barrier to appointing a businessman ('Former Virgin boss to take over at Oftel'). Are we really ready for that? The economy in tatters. The gap between rich and poor growing. Public servants commonly earning pounds 80,000 a year, flying first class, staying in luxury hotels - because in a make-believe market they 'earn' money?
The new managerialism will yet fill your pages with scandal, which Whitehall may, and we may not, tolerate.
Yours sincerely,
ROWAN JONES
Professor of Public Sector
Accounting
The Birmingham Business School
University of Birmingham
22 February
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments