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11/10/2011
UK's Top Civil Servant Retires
The head of the civil service, Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus O'Donnell, has announced he will leave his post at the end of the year.
Mr O'Donnell was expected to step down before the next general election, but Tuesday's announcement means a number of changes that were to follow his vacation of the role will have to be brought forward.
His role will in future be divided into three parts, while current No 10 permanent secretary Jeremy Heywood is to become the new cabinet secretary although the role of Head of the Civil Service will be separated out from the Cabinet Secretary role.
Speaking on Tuesday, Sir Gus O’Donnell said: “It has been a great privilege to work closely with four Prime Ministers and to work with the current Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister in support of a Coalition Government. I am also very proud of the great work civil servants perform up and down the country and overseas.
"I am passionate about the importance of our traditional values of honesty, objectivity, integrity and impartiality. I am also confident that the Civil Service will demonstrate the professionalism and pace to face the challenges of delivering better services with fewer resources. I wish Jeremy every success in his new role.”
Sir Gus spent 32 years working in public service and worked as John Major's spokesman in the mid-1990s. He later worked as permanent secretary at the Treasury during Gordon Brown's time as chancellor before moving to No 10.
Responding to the news, Prime Minister David Cameron said: “Sir Gus O’Donnell has been the outstanding civil servant of his generation, and I would like to thank him for his enormous personal contribution as Cabinet Secretary.
"His support during the formation of the Coalition Government, and in ensuring the smooth and effective running of Cabinet Government since I took office, has been invaluable.
"He has given dedicated and professional service under five Prime Ministers, the last four of whom he has worked with very closely. I know that they will join me in thanking him for all his hard work, patience, loyalty, good humour and sound judgement."
(DW/CD)
Mr O'Donnell was expected to step down before the next general election, but Tuesday's announcement means a number of changes that were to follow his vacation of the role will have to be brought forward.
His role will in future be divided into three parts, while current No 10 permanent secretary Jeremy Heywood is to become the new cabinet secretary although the role of Head of the Civil Service will be separated out from the Cabinet Secretary role.
Speaking on Tuesday, Sir Gus O’Donnell said: “It has been a great privilege to work closely with four Prime Ministers and to work with the current Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister in support of a Coalition Government. I am also very proud of the great work civil servants perform up and down the country and overseas.
"I am passionate about the importance of our traditional values of honesty, objectivity, integrity and impartiality. I am also confident that the Civil Service will demonstrate the professionalism and pace to face the challenges of delivering better services with fewer resources. I wish Jeremy every success in his new role.”
Sir Gus spent 32 years working in public service and worked as John Major's spokesman in the mid-1990s. He later worked as permanent secretary at the Treasury during Gordon Brown's time as chancellor before moving to No 10.
Responding to the news, Prime Minister David Cameron said: “Sir Gus O’Donnell has been the outstanding civil servant of his generation, and I would like to thank him for his enormous personal contribution as Cabinet Secretary.
"His support during the formation of the Coalition Government, and in ensuring the smooth and effective running of Cabinet Government since I took office, has been invaluable.
"He has given dedicated and professional service under five Prime Ministers, the last four of whom he has worked with very closely. I know that they will join me in thanking him for all his hard work, patience, loyalty, good humour and sound judgement."
(DW/CD)
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