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Institute For Government
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Newsletter
 November 2010
Welcome to the Institute for Government’s first e-newsletter. You are receiving this because you have been an important part of our work to improve the effectiveness of government, Whitehall and the wider public service. So thank you for supporting us.

We hope we can continue to send you our newsletter monthly, where we will offer you an insight into our work over the past month and ensure you are the first to hear about our forthcoming events and publications. 
 
It’s not long since I was in Whitehall and I know all too well the challenges of government. The challenge of deficit reduction, in particular, is requiring civil servants and politicians from all the main parties to grapple with some of the toughest decisions of their careers. A massive programme of constitutional reform is also underway, with the potential to transform British government. We will be looking at these issues and providing new perspectives.

Over the next month, look out for our research into Non-Executive Directors and their increasingly important role in Departments. We are also exploring where accountability fits into the localism agenda and will be publishing our research on this soon. And as the centre of gravity changes in the Houses of Parliament, we are looking at the role of Select Committees which could also play a stronger role.

There’s lots to look forward to, but in the meantime keep an eye on our website and follow us on Twitter.

Andrew Adonis, Director of the Institute for Government
Highlights View the IfG Blog
Institute takes top honours at Think Tank of the Year awards Institute takes top honours at Think Tank of the Year awards

Last night, the Institute for Government was named Think Tank of the Year in Prospect magazine’s annual awards. The judges singled out our work on minority government, changes of government, supporting coalitions and fiscal consolidation for recognition.
Read more about the awards >
Smaller and better? Our take on Whitehall after the cuts Smaller and better? Our take on Whitehall after the cuts

Over the past year, we’ve been highlighting the successful deficit reductions in Canada and Sweden, and invited representatives from their governments to tell us what worked. On the eve of the Spending Review, we published a briefing paper on the challenge for Whitehall in managing cuts on a scale not seen since the Second World War.
Read our briefing note on Whitehall after the cuts >
Our work on ALBs helps shape the debate on quangos Our work on ALBs helps shape the debate on quangos

In October, the government published its long awaited plans for arm’s length bodies. Our ‘Read before burning’ report helped advance the debate from simple cost cutting to accountability. As we noted, the announcement saw the government rearranging the deckchairs of the state, rather than rolling it back.
Read the Institute’s statement on public bodies reform >
The future of Liberal Democrat thinking The future of Liberal Democrat thinking

Earlier this year, we explored the future of Conservative and Labour thinking. At the end of October, politicians and thinkers gathered at the Institute to discuss the prospects for the Liberal Democrats within the new coalition – and their journey from progress to power.
Event write-up, videos and podcast >
Highlights View all news
FT: Slash and burn won’t cure Whitehall

Lord Adonis warns the cuts agenda should not deflect from wider reforms. [free subscription required] Read >
The Guardian: Nick Clegg shuffles private team to ease workload

Patrick Wintour reports Nick Clegg is to bolster his private office, as recommended in our report ‘United We Stand’ Read >
Guardian Comment is Free: The quango quandary

Senior Fellow Ian Magee on why the ‘Cameron Tests’ for quangos should include value for money. Read >
Civil Service World: Changing the change makers

Senior Researcher Dr Catherine Haddon wrote in Civil Service World about the units prime ministers have created to drive their ideas forward over the past 100 years. Read >
Upcoming Events View our events
Innovating for a better society: tips for UK policy makers on a global agenda (10 Nov) Innovating for a better society: tips for UK policy makers on a global agenda (10 Nov)

MindLab director Christian Bason talks to the Institute about his new book, Leading public sector innovation: co-creating for a better society, in which he argues services created by citizens, business and the public sector will achieve better outcomes, lower costs and stronger communities. Invite only More >
Better policy-making: privatisation (24 Nov) Better policy-making: privatisation (24 Nov)

We are running a series of ‘policy reunion’ seminars with the Political Studies Association on policies its members ranked as successes of the last 30 years in an IfG survey. We’ll be reuniting Ministers, civil servants and outsiders involved with the launch of the Thatcher government’s privatisation programme. Invite only More >
  
For more information about any of the above contact events@instituteforgovernment.org.uk
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The Institute for Government is an independent charity with cross-party and Whitehall governance working to increase government effectiveness.