By Rupert White


Ministers and senior management at the Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) have come under fire from their own staff for failing to provide effective leadership.



A survey of senior civil servants across government - conducted by the Cabinet Office in November 2006 and published this week - found that those working in the DCA are committed to the department and confident in their own leadership skills.



But only 25% of the 108 respondents think the department is being effectively led, while just 12% consider that its management 'models a culture of effective teamwork'. The DCA's ratings were significantly lower than the average score for all departments in Whitehall.



Keith Vaz MP, a member of the constitutional affairs select committee and former DCA minister, told the Gazette the survey 'reveals that there is a real lack of trust in the highest tiers of leadership at the DCA'.



He added: 'Whilst I know that the Lord Chancellor and his team of ministers are effective managers pursuing clear objectives, I am not so sure that senior civil servants in the DCA are up to standard'.



In an internal memo to staff, shown to the Gazette, DCA permanent secretary Alex Allan admitted that some of the results were 'disappointing' and that 'overall the responses relating to the top team are markedly less positive than those for the [senior civil service] as a whole'. He promised in the memo to consult with staff on how to address the negativity.



Caroline Milton, DCA national officer at civil-servant union FDA, said she was pleased Mr Allan had committed to resolving the problems. 'We note with concern the views about leadership in the department, and we look forward to meeting with the new HR director [at the DCA] to identify solutions,' she said.