My thanks to the loyal reader who posted GOD's (Gus O'Donnell) retirement message (see below).
I wonder if GOD has had time to sort out the paperwork for Strathie's new job?
"I wanted to let you know that I am announcing my retirement today, after over six years as Cabinet Secretary, Head of the Civil Service and Permanent Secretary of the Cabinet Office. I will be leaving the civil service at the end of the year.
I have really enjoyed my time at the Cabinet Office and am extremely proud of the highly professional work that you do right at the centre of government. I have been a civil servant for 32 years and remain convinced of the importance of our traditional values of honesty, objectivity, impartiality and integrity in underpinning all the work that we do.
Turning to the future, we are taking the opportunity to restructure roles at the top. The Cabinet Office has expanded and taken on new responsibilities since the election. In recognition of this, it will be led by a dedicated Permanent Secretary. Ian Watmore, currently head of the Efficiency and Reform Group, will take on this role. Jeremy Heywood will take over as Cabinet Secretary. There will no longer be a Permanent Secretary at No.10. The role of Head of the Civil Service will be taken on by one of the current departmental Permanent Secretaries, after a competition. He or she will provide leadership to the civil service alongside their existing departmental responsibilities.
I would like to thank you all for your continuing hard work and commitment to public service. These are difficult times, but I am confident that you will continue to demonstrate professionalism and pace in facing the challenge of delivering better services with fewer resources. I am also sure that you will provide my successors with the same enthusiastic support which you have given me, and for which I am so grateful."
Tax does have to be taxing.
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Another Rat thats fleeing a sinking ship, and to reiterate what a previous poster has said, leaving before his pension gets cut. Good riddance to you GOD, you won't be missed. Expect to see him in a non executive role within a couple of years, Vodafone or Goldman Sachs look favorite.
ReplyDeleteThis doesn't sound as crazy as it appears. Lord Butler, a previous head of the civil service expressed doubts about the splitting of roles at the top. He candidly stated that the Head of the Civil Service was nowhere near a full-time job!
ReplyDeleteDLS as head of the Civil Service? Crazier things have happened.
He forgot to apologise to the Taxpayers and Staff for the massive shithole that Customs and Excise and the Inland Revenue became.
ReplyDeleteAs head of the civil service he did nothing to try and resolve the glaring issues that appeared right from the start of his watch in 2005.
The message is actually on the civil service web-site. It is not on the HMRC intranet the ignorant bastard has not even had the decency to send a message to HMRC staff (he will of course say we are all civil servants) but as most of HMRC do not have access to the CS site as you need internet access you would think this might have occurred to him or his PA? Wish he would take Jack with him bunch of arse! working in HMRC is taxing!
ReplyDelete@17:20
ReplyDeleteThe vast majority of HMRC staff now have internet access!
Something to do with them having to access the civil service job site to apply for internal vacancies.
Definitely glad to see him go, although he'll be laughing all the way to the bank with his £100K pension & £300K lump sum!!!
"In March 2004, the U.K Government announced the merger of its tax administration departments, the
ReplyDeleteInland Revenue (IR) and HM Customs and Excise (HMCE), following a review of the two
departments by the permanent secretary to the Treasury, Gus O’Donnell". He recommended the merger to Gordon Brown, got promoted to the top job and is now leaving. It is indeed the end of an era.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/financial-crime/8871978/HMRC-to-review-Ecclestones-27m-payment-over-sale-of-F1.html
ReplyDeleteKen, keep an eye on the Daily Telegraph. They seem to have HMRC in their sights. Whilst other media were perusing phone hacking DT had weekly snippets of HMRC stories. This trend is continuing. Do you have contacts at DT?
Having all tax managed under the same organisation is a no brainer, but it is the manner in which it was carried out was wrong. The merger was not managed properly.
ReplyDeleteRemember all previous heads of the CS have been ennobled. On top of the pay off and CS pension, yet another source of income, expenses and yes, another pension awaits courtesy of the House of Lords. Rejoice ye taxpayers, your hard earned money is always wisely spent!
ReplyDelete"Having all tax managed under the same organisation is a no brainer, but it is the manner in which it was carried out was wrong. The merger was not managed properly.
ReplyDelete6 November 2011 12:04"
...How can you say that?!!...
Didn't it become Sir David Varney after that ?
....and dont forget the 'less than enthusiastic' message from GOD advocating the CON-DEM line that the 'new pensions arrangements were really rather good.
ReplyDeleteI loved the fact that he referred to the pensions as "your" , thus rubbing it in that his generation has made the decisions (and escaped with the dosh) but it us that are going to have to work longer and expect shite-all in return. Wanker.