Restoring Pride in our Public Services

Report from the Conservative Party Public Services Improvement Policy Group

The Conservative Public Services Improvement Group today publishes its recommendations to the Shadow Cabinet.

The Group, chaired by Stephen Dorrell MP and Baroness Pauline Perry, sets out over 150 proposals to eradicate the inequalities in access to good schools, good health and good housing which are found throughout our public services.

On education the group proposes putting the professional voice at the heart of government policy making and asking teachers to be partners in their own accountability. The proposals include:

·         A new professional voice at the heart of the education departments headed by a Chief Education and Skills Officer;

·         A commitment for more good schools with educational charities encouraged to get involved in the academies programme and pioneer schools that could be set up by parents or charities;

·         An ‘advantage premium’, giving pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds extra per-capita funding;

• Effective disciplinary measures with clearer powers to exclude and full anonymity for teachers faced with allegations;

• A cut in the number of guidelines and publications sent to schools;
• Failing primary school pupils given the chance of remedial education;
• A/S levels to be abolished.

On social housing the group proposes helping people out of the deprivation that can go hand-in-hand with lifelong tenancies, to a long-term goal of home ownership including:

• A 10% equity share for social tenants leaving the social rented sector after five years good tenant behaviour;
• A formal review of the current waiting list policy for social housing;
• A commitment to mixed communities;
• A new national fund to provide affordable housing where it is needed;
• Reassessment of Right to Buy discounts to make RTB more affordable;

On health the report calls for increased professional autonomy, reduced bureaucratic intervention, improved transparency and enhanced accountability. 

Commenting on the Education proposals set out in the report, Restoring Pride in our Public Services,  Susan Williams, Parliamentary Candidate for Bolton West said:

“If we want to build a better society, we have to start with getting education right. Labour's well-intentioned policies have simply failed: far too many of our pupils are failing in schools and teachers have become demoralised by excessive target setting and control from the centre.

“This report demonstrates how we can achieve a better education for every pupil, by allowing teachers to teach and pupils to participate in a rich curriculum to suit their aspirations. Our proposals aim at long term progress rather than merely a quick fix solution: this is what schools, teachers and pupils deserve.”

Commenting on the group’s proposals to create a new definition of social housing based on lifting tenants out of dependency and towards greater home ownership,  Deborah Dunleavy, Parliamentary Candidate for Bolton North East added:

“Where you live can determine your access to public services. Poor housing estates generate poor school performance, poor health and shorter life expectancy. Unlike Labour, we don't believe that just building more and more new social housing units is the answer. Helping people out of what has been called the 'living tomb' of poor social housing to independence and home ownership is at the heart of our proposals”.

With regards the health section of the report,  Cllr Andy Morgan, Conservative Group Spokesman for Health and Bolton Council's Health Scrutiny Chairman said:  

“The Conservatives support the NHS.  David Cameron has made that clear. Our report therefore focuses on the approach which we hope the next Conservative Government will adopt: 

- Less political interference in the day to day management of the NHS;

- Greater freedom for individual healthcare professionals, in return for clear accountability for outcomes;

- A service which puts patients before bureaucrats;

- Greater emphasis on public health objectives, with a stronger Chief Medical Officer and separate public health budgets. 

“After years of bureaucratic upheaval the Conservatives have given a simple pledge:

“No more re-disorganization. Our report shows how to build on this pledge in a way which will allow the NHS to grow and develop.”