‘Tough times ahead’ for public sector

Employment leaders were given a stark picture of the situation facing the public sector in the coming years, at a Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) summit on future resourcing.

The government’s efficiency adviser Sir Peter Gershon warned delegates that taxpayer-funded services were likely to endure tough times ahead with the possibility of up to 20 per cent of funding slashed from certain areas.

Chancellor George Osborne announced that £6.2 billion would be cut from the UK’s public spending budget in order to reduce a growing deficit.

However, there were also some positive views on how this crisis could help create a public sector, with Jackie Orme, chief executive of the Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development, stressing the need to add value to workforces, rather than simply slashing expenditure and jobs.

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REC chief executive Kevin Green reiterated his call for sustainable reform in this area, despite needing to save money.

“The views expressed today confirm that we’re heading for a period of fundamental change. There is a real once in a lifetime opportunity for radical reforms to improve the UK’s public sector organisations,” he said.

By Colette Paxton