Governance and running out of money

Financial challenges are nothing new for the public sector; the need to satisfy seemingly insatiable demand with what seem to be ever-dwindling resources is hardly news to those charged with leading our public services.

In recent times, however, it seems that a steady stream of councils and NHS trusts, among others, are veering from challenge to crisis, with central government intervention and financial freezes implemented to avoid such crises maturing into catastrophe.

What is driving this apparent surge of financial distress? Can it be money alone? Poor leadership? Have we simply become accustomed to a level of service quality that we are simply not prepared to pay for? There is probably something in each of these factors, but what about the role of governance—and more specifically in this context, poor governance?

To help us understand the role that governance plays in financial distress, we have a panel of contributors steeped in the practice and practicality of picking up the pieces and overseeing the recovery process.

Here to guide us through this discussion, we will be joined by Andrew Corbett-Nolan, Chief Executive, GGI; Aaron Cummins, Chief Executive, University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay; and Tony McArdle OBE, Lead Commissioner Nottingham City Council.

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