Showcasing and Rewarding European Public Excellence © Opening up the Public Sector through Collaborative Governance Smart Public Service Delivery in a Cold Economic Climate Michael Burnett, EPSA Final Conference, Maastricht, 16 November 2011

© Introduction – Self Chartered Accountant with more than 20 years working in and with public sector Public sector expert Deloitte and Touche/KPMG (14 years) EIPA expert PPP/public services (6 years) Done business in 20+ European countries EPSA Co-theme leader Smart public service delivery in a cold economic climate

© Where we are – The cold climate Banking crisis Economic crisis Public finance crisis Currency crisis

© The importance of where we are The sustainability of Europes social model is at stake eg sustaining employment, promoting employability, maintaining diversity etc The questions are profound – What is the state for? Theres an emotional dimension... - What will be our legacy to our children and grandchildren? - Its never easy to move from expansion to contraction The essential need for change to face the future

© Smart public service delivery matters more than ever Europes public finances are in a grave crisis The problem cant be fixed in one or two years The problem cant be fixed with painless solutions There are limits to the scope for tax increases, better tax collection and continuing to borrow Future economic growth cant be relied on to fix the problem Public administrations are not totally in control of their future Lack of trust and moral authority in public authorities

© Smart public service delivery – Key issues Who should provide services? How should they be provided? What should be provided? Who decides the who, how and what? How are decisions made?

© Challenges Stabilising public finances Effective financial sector regulation Continuing to address the climate change agenda Protecting competitiveness Protecting employment/employability Protecting diversity

© Theme 1 – Smart public service delivery Directly related to one key aspect of Europes economic crisis ie stabilising public finances Innovative and successful changes in how services are delivered leading to: - Improved service at the same or lower cost - Maintaining diversity in service objectives while reducing costs and maintaining quality - Redefined service at significantly lower cost - Significantly improved service relative to cost increase Imaginative and improved performance measurement linked to service objectives

© General evaluation criteria General award criteria relevant to all three themes were: Innovation Public concern Sustainability Impact Learning capacity and transferability

© Theme 1 – Specific evaluation criteria In Theme 1 we were looking for initiatives which: Balanced cost change with change in service standards Linked service objectives and measurement indicators Showed evidence of attention to diverse service objectives

© Theme 1 – Statistical overview 103 applications 8 evaluators 22 countries plus EU institutions 3 evaluators per application

© Theme 1 – Applications by country

© Theme 1 – Applications by administrative level

© Theme 1 – Applications by size of organisation

© Theme 1 – Applications by sector

© Theme 1 – Final Nominees EPSA Change² - City of Mannheim: Achieving More Together (Mannheim, Germany) EPSA Political Management based on Economic Stringency and Strategic Budgets (Bilbao, Spain) EPSA NDLA: Innovation in Acquisition, Development and Distribution of Digital Learning Resources (Norway) EPSA High Technology at Low Cost in the Management of CAP Subsidies in Catalonia (Spain) EPSA Effectiveness in Healthcare. Computer System to Manage the Surgical Process (Forli, Italy)

© Theme 1 – Key messages Importance of strategic framework for budget and service reform - Clear budgetary targets - Prioritisation of service objectives Importance of commitment at all levels in organisation - Political engagement - Staff commitment

© Theme 1 – Key messages (continued) Relevance of size and level of administration - Particular challenges for small administrations - Implications for administrative reform? Relevance of technological innovation - Often necessary but not in itself sufficient - Importance of adopt, adapt, improve

© Contact details Mr Michael Burnett Expert, European Public Management European Institute of Public Administration Maastricht, the Netherlands Tel