Duncan Parish, deputy director of Number 10 North, says overcoming 'institutional barriers' and fostering a new mindset across central government are essential for the office to succeed.
01Summary
- 01Parish told the Great Exhibition conference in Lincolnshire on Wednesday that there are 'institutional challenges' within government.
- 02Number 10 North was opened by Prime Minister Andy Burnham in July as a Manchester-based sister office to Downing Street.
- 03Opponents, including Conservative MP Mike Wood, have called the office a 'gimmick' and raised transparency concerns about costs.
- 04Cabinet Office minister Sally Jameson said last week that hotel costs for staff travelling between London and Manchester are not centrally collated.
- 05The office aims to 'shift power and accountability' closer to local areas, requiring reform of the civil service.
02Why it matters
This matters because Number 10 North is intended to bring decision-making closer to communities outside London, and its success depends on overcoming entrenched Whitehall practices. The transparency concerns also affect taxpayers who fund the office.
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