So we’re now all going to be more efficient ……There will be 80,000 fewer civil servants; £20 billion less will be spent – and more resources will be allocated to the front line so that the taxpayer gets better value public services.

Well that’s the theory!

Seriously, however, Sir Peter Gershon’s report on public sector efficiency makes a compelling argument, and has already persuaded long-term sceptics that overdue reform can happen this time around. He forensically analyses the duplication, overlapping responsibilities, proliferation of regulatory bodies and missed opportunities for procurement and shared use of resources. Scarcely is there an aspect of public administration that does not appear to him to be capable of being done better.

So what happens to public and stakeholder consultation?