CHAPTER 2
CONFIDENTIAL
PRACTICE IN THE CIVIL SERVICE
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2.1
Introduction
A
In Chapter 1 the concept of supervisory accountability is examined. survey of broad organisational situations in Government was underteken to determine whether structures and relationships exist which encourage the translation of the concept into practice. The survey of Government organisations was conducted with one basic premise and that is; if accountability is to be effectively practised throughout an organization it must start at the very top; if it is not practised at the very top there is a likelihood that it may not be practised at the lower levels. The very top" in Government constitutes H.D. the Governor, the Chief Secretary and Financial Secretary, Branch Secretaries and Heads of Departments. At this level, the study concentrated on attempting to trace the formal relationships and the lines of authority within these most senior positions, insofar as they may reflect problems in the practice of accountability. It must be pointed out at the outset that the discussion which follows essentially deals with the position of a Secretary in charge of a policy branch. The role of a resource branch has evolved over a long period and the lines of responsibility and accountability have, to a large extent, been formalised in Government regulations.
2.2 Policy Formulation and Implementation
Within the concept of preparation of overall Development Plans, individual Programme Plans and Five Year Financial Forecasts, Branch Secretaries are responsible for ensuring that policy is formulated, Programme Plans are prepared to implement the policy and that policy objectives are achieved. In turn, Heads of Departments are accountable for the effective and efficient implementation of agreed policies in the respective programme areas. Heads of Departments enjoy considerable executive and alainic- trative freedom in the management of their departments, but within the concept they should obtain the agreement of the appropriate Branch Secretary whenever it is proposed to pursue a course of action which is not consistent with existing policy or which would have important or unusual implications for Government's activities generally.
2.3 It is evident from discussions with Secretaries and some Heads of
Departments concerning formal relationships and lines of authority that some confusion exists as to whether a Policy Secretary is in a position to instruct the appropriate Head of Department with regard to operational implementation of policy or merely to advise him. It seems that part of this confusion derives from the difficulty in determining a clear division between policy formulation on the one hand and operational implementation on the other, and the situation is further complicated by the comparative status of Branch Secretaries and Heads of Departments. Some Heads of Departments are of equivalent level or rank to Branch Secretaries and thus the relationships can be conditioned by relative seniority and the interplay of personalities.
CONFIDENTIAL
12.4
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