Using the backyard at No 10 Downing Road ought to be primarily for the prime minister and the non-public residents of No 10 and No 11 Downing Road. Throughout the pandemic it was usually used as an extension of the office as a extra Covid-secure technique of holding group conferences in a ventilated house. This was a wise measure that workers appreciated, however the backyard was additionally used for gatherings with out clear authorisation or oversight. This was not acceptable. Any official entry to the house, together with for conferences, ought to be by invitation solely and in a managed atmosphere.
Some workers wished to boost considerations about behaviours they witnessed at work however at occasions felt unable to take action. No member of workers ought to really feel unable to report or problem poor conduct the place they witness it. There ought to be simpler methods for employees to boost such considerations informally, outdoors of the road administration chain.
The variety of workers working in No 10 Downing Road has steadily elevated in recent times. When it comes to measurement, scale and vary of duty it’s now extra akin to a small authorities division than purely a devoted prime minister’s workplace. The constructions that assist the graceful operation of Downing Road, nonetheless, haven’t advanced sufficiently to fulfill the calls for of this enlargement. The management constructions are fragmented and complex and this has generally led to the blurring of strains of accountability. An excessive amount of duty and expectation is positioned on the senior official whose principal operate is the direct assist of the prime minister. This ought to be addressed as a matter of precedence.
