Hello PPMA members and friends

A new Prime Minister always brings a change of tone, fresh priorities and often, a new sense of pace. In his first few weeks in office, Andy Burnham has made it clear that moving power away from Westminster and into every postcode will be central to his approach.

The creation of No.10 North and the decision to put devolution and local growth closer to the heart of government caught my attention. They also got me thinking about what this could mean for public services and, in particular, for the people who will be asked to turn that ambition into reality.

There will understandably be a great deal of discussion about structures, powers, governance and funding. All of that matters. But we also know that changing structures does not, by itself, change outcomes.

The real test will be whether public services have the people, leadership, skills and culture needed to make a more devolved system work.

The people challenge behind the policy

Greater devolution could create real opportunities for places and communities. It could allow decisions to be more responsive, services to work more closely together and local leaders to focus on what their areas genuinely need.

But bringing organisations and services into closer alignment will not be simple. Different cultures, pay arrangements, pensions, professional identities and ways of working will all need to be understood and carefully navigated. At the same time, organisations will be competing for people with the experience and confidence to lead complex change across traditional boundaries.

My concern is that workforce considerations can sometimes come into the conversation too late after structures have been designed, commitments made and delivery dates announced. HR and OD teams are then asked to make everything work, rather than being involved early enough to help shape what is realistic and deliverable.

If change is going to succeed, that has to be different.

People expertise belongs at the decision-making table

Finance leaders rightly ask whether a proposal is affordable. Legal leaders rightly ask whether it is lawful. People leaders must be able to ask, with equal influence, whether it is achievable.

Do we have the capacity and skills to deliver it? Can we recruit and retain the people we need? What will it mean for equality, employee relations, organisational culture and workforce wellbeing? And are our leaders equipped to bring people with them?

These are not questions to be picked up once a decision has been made. They are central to good governance.

That is why PPMA continues to make the case for strengthening the strategic standing and influence of the HR and OD Director, including exploring the case for statutory recognition, with an assured voice alongside the Chief Executive, Section 151 Officer and Monitoring Officer.

This is not about status. It is about making sure that workforce implications and risks receive the same serious consideration as finance and law.

Why this brings me back to the Golden Square

When I introduced the Golden Square, it was because I believed our profession needed a clear framework for the challenges ahead. The new Prime Minister’s focus on devolution has brought me straight back to why it matters.

At its heart, the Golden Square is about ensuring that people, workforce and culture have the same strategic weight as the other considerations that shape major organisational decisions. It’s about strong leadership and governance, professional standards, workforce capability and creating workplaces where people are treated with dignity and respect. All of those things will be critical to the change now being discussed.

We will need leaders who can work confidently across systems and sectors. We will need strong professional standards, fair and inclusive workplaces and a genuine commitment to treating people with dignity throughout change. We will also need to build stronger talent pipelines and create more opportunities for people to learn across local and central government and between different public services.

Most importantly, we need to start thinking about this now, while plans are still developing, not when the new structures are already in place.

An opportunity we need to get right

There is still much more detail to come and PPMA will continue to follow the Government’s plans closely. But one thing is already clear to me: reform succeeds or fails through people.

This could be a genuinely exciting moment for public services and for the communities we serve. But if the Government is serious about rewiring the state, people professionals must be involved in designing the circuitry, not simply asked to make the connections once the blueprint is complete.

That is why I believe the Golden Square is not simply relevant to this new era. It will be essential to helping us navigate it together.

Sandra Farquharson

PPMA President