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Principles Index . Briefings
Home . Revitalise Our Services Index
 Principles
to Revitalise Scotland's Public Services
Democratic
AccountabilityIntroductionIn
April 2003 UNISON Scotland launched its manifesto for Scotland's public services,
Revitalise our Public Services. The centrepiece of that manifesto
was our principles for public service renewal. In this series of briefings we
expand on these principles setting out our positive agenda for the revitalisation
of Scotland's essential public services. What
is Democratic Accountability?Democratic accountability
requires pubic bodies to be open and transparent in their dealings with the public
and for government at all levels to explain and accept responsibility for its
actions. Democratic accountability also entails government ensuring adequate opportunities
exist for people to participate in and influence the policy making process. To
facilitate this involvement organisational structures need to be decentralised
to appropriate levels for each function. Without the fragmentation caused by privatisation
and the growth of unelected bodies. Democratic Accountability
— The difference between private and public services The
defining difference between public and private services is democratic accountability.
However, weak mechanisms and the rise of the Quango State have devalued many of
our democratic structures. They need to be revitalised through new mechanisms
including: - Elected bodies
based on the active involvement of all elected members.
- Scrutiny of policy by elected members supported by powers to investigate and
review including calling for evidence from outside the public service organisation
(PSO).
- Encourage participation through a statutory
duty to involve users, staff and the community in decision making.
- Democratisation of the quango state together with a statutory requirement
for all public bodies to regularly report and account for policy decisions.
- Freedom of information, effective communication and transparency of all contracts
and partnerships.
- A commitment to equality
of representation making PSO's representative of the communities they serve.
Challenging racism and discrimination.
- Capacity
to enable users, staff and the community to fully participate.
Democratic
Accountability and Public Service Renewal For the reasons outlined
below UNISON Scotland regards the Executive's agenda to be limited in terms
of establishing democratic accountability as a core principle of public service
reform: - Local Government Democracy
Whilst proportional representation can contribute towards more
accountable and representative local authorities other Executive measures are
inconsistent with increasing accountability. The ring fencing of budget allocations
and the removal of functions to quangos are the main examples. This will be exacerbated
by proposals for new quangos in criminal justice and transport. One
of UNISON's main concerns with PFI projects is their inherent lack of transparency
and accountability. Long-term service contracts with private sector consortia
are often veiled in a cloak of commercial and financial secrecy. Stakeholders
are excluded from key stages of the planning process and have no say in the use
of a facility which is owned by a private company. UNISON
Scotland believes in the creation of representative Health Boards to run the NHSiS
at local level. We fully support a directly elected element on NHS and also a
greater level of staff and user representation on the Boards. UNISON believes that
public bodies should comprise an amalgam of elected representatives, appointed
laypersons and professionals. We believe that the current system of appointments
to the Boards of NDPBs does not reflect a sufficient range of interests and expertise,
and falls far short of what should be expected in terms of equal opportunities.
Regulators promote competition to the detriment of other factors,
they fail to consider the impact of their decisions on employment matters and
other important social and environmental concerns. Reform of the present regulatory
system is long overdue and we believe that a system of regulation be adopted that
is designed primarily to resolve problems that are not adequately addressed by
the market place. - Participation
and involvement
All PSOs should be
required to produce a corporate strategy on participation and involvement which
demonstrates how user's, community organisation's, staff and their trade
unions can be involved in the planning, design, monitoring and review of services.
UNISON Scotland is supportive of an increased role for voluntary and community
organisations, and staff representative bodies in working with elected representatives
to influence planning and delivery of local services. Increasing
the democratic accountability of public services could play an important role
in revitalising public interest in the democratic process. However, It is more
than simply voting every four years. It has to be structured through collective
and individual involvement at all levels. Providing a real opportunity to influence,
not simply participate in the decision making process. ContactsMichael
Byers -
m.byers@unison.co.uk Dave
Watson -
d.watson@unison.co.uk @
The P&I Team
14 West Campbell St
Glasgow G26RX
Tel 0845 355 0845
Fax 0141-307 2572 top | 
Scotland's
public service union 
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