Committee for air and sea links among changes proposed

Monday 16 December 2019

The return of the Public Accounts Committee, smaller political boards and a committee dedicated to improving transport links are just some of the ways the machinery of government could evolve, if a requête is successful.

A fresh debate on Guernsey's structure of government will take place in the new year, after Deputies Heidi Soulsby, Emilie McSwiggan, Rob Prow, Michelle Le Clerc, John Gollop, Lindsay de Sausmarez and Neil Inder put their names to the document.

Following a full review of the machinery of government, changes were implemented in 2016 which saw the creation of the Policy & Resources Committee and six Principal Committees charged with policy development, as well as a number of other States' bodies, such as the States Trading Supervisory Board.

The requerants want to build upon, rather than overhaul, that foundation and are targeting some of the flaws they see in the current system. Some of these centre around the role of P&R, which they feel has a dominance of "resources" over "policy" and the diminished financial scrutiny within the States since the dissolution of the Public Accounts Committee.

"We're offering this Requête as part of a mature approach to improving governance in Guernsey," said Deputy Soulsby, who is leading the requête. "We know that there are weaknesses in the current system – that's true of every government – but we think it is much better to seek to evolve gradually, than to do what's happened in the past, and have periods of stasis followed by massive restructures.

Your Christmas wishes may come true - watch this space. https://t.co/WXP7pyIFwX

— Heidi Soulsby (@HeidiSoulsby) 10 December 2019

Pictured: Deputy Soulsby indicated earlier this month that plans were in the works.

"This requête allows us as States Members to reflect on this term and put together a set of 'lessons learned' which we all more or less agree on. Then it will be up to the next States to decide what they're willing to live with, and what they want to change."

The requête's authors said it is important to avoid making major changes to the structure of the States in an election year. Instead, Deputy McSwiggan said they want States Members to agree where the current system needs to be improved, and then  hand that over to the next States, to decide exactly what changes it wants to make. 

"If you change the structure of government just as you're electing a new government, you create a power vacuum which is not healthy for democracy," she said. "The approach we've suggested involves a review during the first half of the next States' term, with the possibility of changes mid-term.

"This will allow the new States to learn from our experience, and to add their own perspective. It creates a kind of continuity which is all-too-often missing from Guernsey politics, but which can only be beneficial to the quality and thoughtfulness of our decision-making."

Pictured: Deputy McSwiggan does not intend to stand in 2020, but wants to improve the system of government for the next States. 

Deputy Rob Prow supported this timeline, saying they "owe it to the next States" to pass on what they have learnt.

"It is this States which has worked with this system in practice and we have seen what the benefits and challenges are."

"These proposals started life as two separate requêtes – but when those of us who were working on them found out about each other's work, we found a way to bring them together. I think that demonstrates the kind of teamwork that is needed if we're going to leave this States better than we found it and I hope that same spirit of trust and collaboration will be reflected in the debate."

One of the changes that is of most interest is the creation of a committee with the specific mandate of improving the island's transport links.

"It has been the biggest issue since before the last election and I don't think the machinery of government has helped to enable that focus this term," said Deputy Soulsby. "We think there needs to be a committee taking ownership of that policy, which has been outstanding for so long."

Pictured: Deputy Prow said the States needs to agree on a solution for the jigsaw which is air and sea links. 

Several States committees, from Economic Development through to P&R, have a stake in that policy, and Deputy Prow thinks clarity is needed.

"There are lots of different committees with different parts of that jigsaw."

Another area where more focus is needed is around the board table, and for that reason the requete is proposing three-person committees. This is not because there is anything fundamentally wrong about five-person committee - the authors just feel they are not necessary. 

"From my perspective, when there has been just three members (at a committee meeting) it does focus the mind," said Deputy Prow, who has sat on the Health & Social Care and Home Affairs Committees. 

Part of the logic is that it would also help to free up States members for a Public Accounts Committee, which Deputy Soulsby knows the benefits of first-hand. 

"I was chair of the PAC last term and I saw the value of it, especially for financial scrutiny. We have found that focus has been lost this term." 

The requête is available here.