Back office numbers stay down

State Services Minister Paula Bennett has welcomed today’s half-yearly capping report, showing the number of administrative roles in the core public service remain below the cap and are forecast to stay at that level.

“The cap on core administrative positions, introduced by the incoming National Government in 2008, has successfully reduced back office roles and freed up resources, meaning improved public services for New Zealanders,” says Mrs Bennett.

The cap is set at 36,475 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions within core government administrative roles, and was introduced to respond to years of uncontrolled bureaucratic growth under the previous government.   

Since the end of 2013, there has been a decrease of over 750 FTE positions, and overall numbers are 819 FTE positions under the current cap, which was reset in 2012. Compared to the original cap set in 2008, numbers are 3,203 fewer.

“The cap has successfully reversed the trend of unrestrained growth by driving sensible and sustainable reductions in back-office staffing numbers, while focusing on the frontline services people need,” says Mrs Bennett.

“We’re delivering less bureaucracy, and more teachers, social workers, doctors, and nurses.”

The size of core government administration is forecast to decrease by a further 161 positions over the next two years.

The latest capping report can be found here: www.ssc.govt.nz/capping-june14   

The annual Human Resource Capability survey of the public sector workforce has also been released today, and covers staff numbers, people costs, leadership, capability and diversity in the public service.

The Human Resource Capability survey results are available here: www.ssc.govt.nz/hrc-survey-2014