Central Government Programme

Part of the Public Services Best Practice Network

Established in 2005 the Central Government Programme brings together senior civil servants with leaders in the service provider sector to address the key issues in public sector reform, to the benefit of all participants and UK plc.

Why participate in the central government network?

Originally designed to address the adoption of shared services in Whitehall, the network now provides a best practice environment focussing on the timeliest and most challenging issues in public sector reform.

The power of the network derives from the collective experience of its public and private sector participants.

Download summaries from the Central Government discussions 2010

Themes for 2012

  • The Open Public Services Whitepaper
  • Running your department or agency as a business 
  • Everyday innovation
  • Building the top team for the future  
  • Opportunities for transformation through ICT 
  • Implementing digital service delivery 
  • Property and estates rationalisation
  • Changing cultures and developing the workforce  
  • New approaches to commissioning  
  • Using data more effectively 
  • Other themes as determined by network participants

Programme Benefits 

  • Learn with the best - accessing real and usable innovations and best practices 
  • Activities are on an appropriate scale for rich, in-depth exchanges between senior people (often involving no more than 15-20) in an extended board room format, allowing everyone to contribute, unlike conferences
  • Engagements are specifically designed to draw on the knowledge and experience of the particpants, ensuring the group can focus on practical solutions to common issues
  • A skilled facilitator, with experience in both the public and commercial sectors, steers teh sessions carefully for the benefit of participants
  • Operating under the Chatham House rule means that participants are able to express themesleves freely, leading to an open, challenging and high-quality exchange
  • There is no charge for public sector members, who support the programmes by actively contributing their time, expertise and experience
  • Network activities are funded by private sector members who recognise the benefits of having an independent forum where the realities of public service reform can be explored 
  • There are no sales pitches. Everyone is expected to contribute to findinginnovative solutions to real business issues 
  • In order to maintain our independence, ITW does not facilitate one-to-one meetings or similar contacts between members. Nor do we sell on any contact information

What does the programme include?

  • Best practice and innovation groups, focused on key operational issues and typically involving participants at Director or Assistant Director level 
  • Leaders' groups, which address longer-term issues of public service reform and are attended by Chief Executives or their Deputies

Additional activities:

  • Focus projects, which examine a particular issue in more depth, usually over a period of several months

In each case, we produce written outputs, which are agreed by all the participants before being made available to the wider ITW Network via our online knowledge store.

Programme Details and Forward Calendar 

Central Government Reform Programme

Central Government Reform Guidelines

Central Government Reform Example Agenda

Meeting Types

Leaders' discussions (LDs)

Best practice groups (BPGs)

Guideline development groups (GDGs)