Benefits
The SDC is advocating for a new settlement for the UK public - one focused on quality, efficiency, and long term value for money. A sustainable public sector, with streamlined services, closer working relationships between government departments and fresh approach to the use of resources, will give the public greater say in their own affairs and more accountability.
Better public service delivery
A sustainable development framework would ensure that the public sector:
- challenges existing systems and boundaries
- draws on robust evidence, rather than convention and habit
- delivers long term value for money
- is systemic, cross-cutting and coordinated across department (versus polices that are narrowly approached in terms of outcomes)
- is risk aware, taking into account uncertainties that policy-making has not traditionally had to address (e.g. climate change, demographics, global uncertainties)
- is inclusive, transparent and accountable
- deals with causes of problems rather than the symptoms
- is focused on public and/or environmental benefit
The SDC and UK Government have agreed a common approach to assessing whether or not a policy delivery is sustainable – these are the ‘Five principles of sustainable development’. We use these as the central vision in all of our policy analysis and advice.
» Read the principles
Meeting Government targets
Policy makers are obliged to meet targets for sustainable development. The targets are set within a common ‘UK Framework for Sustainable Development’, with separate delivery strategies for the UK Government, Scotland and Wales.
In UK Government, each central department was expected to produce an action plan by December 2005 with clear delivery dates and lines of responsibility for delivering the UK strategy. In addition, each department is expected to meet annual targets set by Government for sustainable development within their own estate.
• How well is Government doing? Track their progress
• The UK Framework for Sustainable Development
• Securing the Future: UK Strategy for Sustainable Development
• Choosing our Future: Scotland’s sustainable development strategy
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