Public Value Decision Making

Rodney Barber - Rodney spent the first 10 years of his career in the private sector in Auckland and overseas. He then “saw the light” and was a public servant in Wellington for the next 26 years till 2016. He has retained his passion to serve the public in all he does, both here and overseas. He now describes himself as a social entrepreneur, business owner and public investment expert

IMAGINE a society in which:

1. People find fulfilment in community relationships, rather than simply in consumption and leisure

2. People understand their role within society, rather than being a collection of individuals 

3. People are free to help others, rather than wanting freedom from others 

4. There is healthy competition and sustainable cooperation, and 

5. The focus is on community building rather than simply material wealth

Also imagine:

• A vision of Resilient relationships and good decision making enabling resilient suburbs, organisations, districts and regions (The Why).

• Decision makers setting a vision (Policy), then building decision-making capability to think through and identify the Portfolio options, then prioritising the Portfolio, and then preparing the business case for decision making ensuring clear measurement of the economic, social, cultural, environmental, and governance outcomes (The How).

• Clear communication of the vision, equipping of and caring for each other in developing the vision, speaking up for others and stewarding the resources entrusted. (The Who).

• A decision that starts with a vision (Policy) comprising a Portfolio of Programmes (to each achieve an outcome) that will collectively achieve the vision (Policy), a “start-up” decision.

• Then a decision for each Programmes Projects (to each improve a service) that will collectively achieve the Programme (outcome), an “initiate” decision. 

• Then a decision to proceed with a Procurement to enable the Project to improve a service, an “implement” decision. (The When).

• A business case that describes a compelling vision (strategic case), describes the best public value Portfolio of Programme options to achieve the vision, (economic case), and describes how the preferred option can be procured well (commercial case), is affordable (financial case) and will be delivered well (management case). (The What).

HOW?

In my view, we need to think in a joined-up way to provide free and frank medium to long term advice to politicians on options to achieve their vision for their district, region and country:

• Economic (e.g. primary, secondary, tertiary, quaternary and quinary)

• Environmental (e.g. minimum, moderate or maximum standard)  

• Social and cultural (e.g. provider centric or citizen centric)       

Successive Government publications state we need: 

1. To develop solutions drawn from local intelligence

2. To focus on medium to long-term including tradeoffs 

3. A joined-up approach across the public sector that supports coordinated decision making. 

4. To make decisions that will result in measurable increases in benefits for New Zealanders 

In my view, we need a public value decision system that enables government to participate with the public and engage with communities to achieve vision to be more resilient, economically, socially, culturally, environmentally and governance wise.

By working together using their different strengths, resulting in measurable benefits that will reduce demand on government criminal justice, benefits and mental health, and eliminate systemic poverty.

That approach needs to be a holistic, systematic, relational way to courageously and transparently navigate the ambiguity in community conversations with intentional listening and learning, to set a vision and identify the best public value, affordable and achievable way to achieve that vision. 

What do you think?