Liberal Democrats Party Conference: Positive Disruption

Date: 20.09.2010 13:00 - 14:00

Location: Tate Liverpool, Hospitality Suite, Albert Dock, Liverpool, L3 4BB

Positive Disruption: Innovative approaches to public services

This event explored some of the most difficult challenges facing our public services.

We asked how does an innovative approach to public service reform in straitened economic times deliver services that are both cheaper and better?

Watch the event video

Use the thumbnails below to change speakers.

Decentralising power

Topics ranged from how to take the theory of mass localism and make it a practical reality through to shifting central Government's reliance on command and control.

The panellists represented an interesting mix of local government practioners and NESTA's very own Philip Colligan who is trialling some of the most cutting edge public service innovations today.

Rob Whiteman

Rob Whiteman, Managing Director of IDeA, insisted that we must trust in disruptive technologies and not be afraid to tear up the rule book when confronting public service change.

Philip Colligan

NESTA's Philip Colligan laid down the challenge to central and local government, saying that the success of innovation in public services represents a prevention of future demands on the state.

He went on to say that the single greatest obstacle to innovation is the barrier to entry: "You have got to open up the opportunities for people to be heard to allow for innovation to really flourish".

Norman Lamb MP

Finally Norman Lamb MP made the case that the country needs to act now if it's to deliver radically better public services at reduced cost.

There are opportunities for "competitive localism", he said, and that there was a "strong convergence of views within government" on the importance of localism.

Event insights

Read the key insights from our panellists on Twitter by searching for #nestalib.

Speakers

• Sir David Henshaw, Chair, NHS North West
• Norman Lamb MP, Chief Parliamentary and Political Adviser to the Deputy Prime Minister
• Philip Colligan, Executive Director, The Public Services Lab
• Rob Whiteman, Managing Director, IDeA