Peter Gardner
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Comment on: Walker v Seddon - the debate goes on
As a senior manager in a District Council the evidence is very clear - the Audit Commission's approach is centralist and out of touch with the services we provide. It shows a lack of understanding of what's important to residents and the local community most of the time. Systems thinking is an immense improvement in that it enables officers at all levels to engage in what they really want to do - provide good services for customers - it's worked brilliantly for us and liberated the staff who have been through it and will save us money by only doing the work we need to. The Commission's approach has led to limited progress and takes us backwards at times - it also adversely affects the experience of the customer. If the Audit Commission want to look at the evidence then they can visit here and I'll get the staff who did the really hard work to take them through why systems thinking works. Or we can discuss why the Use of Resources system is going to move my Council from a level 3 to a (lower) level 2 when we have continued to improve! The reason - it's a new higher standard - raising the bar - so it was wrong before and now they have got it right??
