Target group

This workshop will be of interest to officials in ministries, executive agencies, regional governments, municipalities and other public sector bodies responsible for preparing or reviewing budgets and/or reviewing different means of public service delivery. It will also be of interest to academics, officials in European and institutions and agencies and international organisations.

Description

Making public sector budget choices, always complex for public authorities, is now particularly challenging due to the crisis in European public finances. Choices made now will often have long term consequences for public service delivery and the stability of the public finances, choices are often linked to changes in how public services are delivered.

This workshop will consider current best practice about what to do and how to do it, using the practical experience of experts, including:

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  Reviewing options for public service delivery, including decision making processes different delivery options and balancing fiscal sustainability and other policy challenges
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  Preparing public sector budgets and making choices about prioritising public expenditure to make best use of limited resources in difficult times.

Learning Methodology

The workshop will be based on presentations and case examples, with emphasis on a high level of interactivity. It thus aims to be an excellent platform to exchange experiences in preparing and reviewing budgets and service delivery options.

Objectives

To give participants a better understanding of:

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  The role of budgeting in public financial management
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  Public sector budget preparation processes and techniques, such as zero-based budgeting and performance-based budgeting
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  Current challenges in preparing public sector budgets at organisational and activity level
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  How to review and implement options for public service delivery
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  How to conduct budget reviews and service reviews in parallel

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