The government is missing a trick in its attempts to modernise public services, according to a report published today by the Sustainable Development Commission (SDC).
While welcoming the notion of modernisation, SDC claims that not enough attention is paid to the environment, social justice and real quality of life, and more must be done to ensure long-term improvements to public services and real benefits to taxpayers.
The report, Sharing the Value - A Sustainable Approach to the Modernisation Agenda argues that Labour's modernisation programme should be driven by the principles of sustainable development. This would result in:
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Real improvements to public services
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Greater value for money over the short and long term
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Real choice for consumers through an emphasis on personal responsibility and active citizenship
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A better balance between economic, environmental and social benefits, rather than crude trade-offs
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Enhanced local governance, avoiding the extremes of the 'local versus central debate'
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Increased innovation and creativity in policy design and service delivery
SDC Chairman Jonathon Porritt said: "Sustainable development provides a coherent framework, a balance between short- and long-term goals, a focus on anticipating and preventing problems, and pioneering methods of community participation. These are all currently lacking in the modernisation agenda."
"By bringing modernisation and sustainable development together, their combined impact will be significant. The value of that will be shared between taxpayers, users and staff of public services, local communities, the business community and future generations. We can see isolated examples of far-sighted local authorities and regional bodies already taking this approach, but they are the exception, not the rule."
Sharing the Value, which includes specific policy suggestions for Government, goes on to argue that both modernisation and sustainable development can be moved forward significantly by integrating the two.
"Modernisation without sustainable development is a recipe for short-term gains but long-term waste, frustration and contradiction," says Jonathon Porritt. "Sustainable development without the leverage and resources of the modernisation agenda will remain marginal in most public services. Neither programme is achieving its full potential, and we contend that neither can do so unless and until it is integrated with the other."
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