The future of public services—what has the budget actually changed?

At our monthly webinar for November, the topic of discussion will focus on ‘The future of public services—what has the budget actually changed?’

We have had the Big Budget, marking an intended turnaround on austerity. Buttressing political commentary is coming out thick and fast too. In health, the NHS has been described as being ‘in the last-chance saloon’ and must improve productivity or else. With universities, the sentiment seems to be that if some go to the wall, then so be it.

The reality is that the funding for this year has not changed; public-purpose organisations are living through the toughest financial constraints. But from April onwards, things should be different.

In this climate, how can boards and leaders of public-purpose organisations keep control of the current year while building for the next? Can the balance of board attention flex more meaningfully between doubling down on today’s costs and performance while starting to meaningfully build for the medium term? Are there new leadership fluencies that boards should be making sure are built?

Certainly, around collaboration, alliances and partnerships, these will be crucial—and indeed extended to include other actors in the independent sector too.

At this GGI webinar we will be exploring the art of the necessary when the pressures of the day to day are punishing, but significant change must be built in, with practical examples from leaders of public purpose organisations. What has the budget actually changed?

To guide us through this discussion, we will be joined by GGI chief executive Andrew Corbett-Nolan, Daniel Regan, public advisor and associate director at Woburn Partners, and journalist and author Stefan Stern.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact events@good-governance.org.uk.