Letter: Ripe for reform

Your series of articles, the Hume Papers, has provided an authoritative assessment of Scotland's public sector challenges, and the underlying theme that seems to be coming through is the increasingly urgent need for collective political leadership to bring about change.

The current financial crisis presents the public sector with a "once in a generation" opportunity to drive through reform. If "cuts" is the dirty word, then our political leaders should, at least, be communicating a vision for the future of our public services and talking not just efficiencies, but also about establishing a framework for achieving the transformation of structures, systems and processes that will be required to achieve the desired outcomes.

Scotland, as a small country, is well placed to take advantage of this opportunity. Yet with elections coming along next May, none of the political parties in Scotland are bringing forward policy programmes to achieve what is glaringly necessary.

GARY DEVLIN

Director, Grant Thornton

Atholl Crescent

Edinburgh