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If the States decides it doesn’t want an ombudsperson it should at least “crack on” with improving what it already has, according to Deputy Gavin St Pier.
The States will debate this week whether establishing a Public Services Ombudsperson is a priority of resources or not.
In a policy letter, the Committee for Policy and Resources said it is asking members to affirm “that in the current financial climate and with the need to find savings across the public service, and given the recent review of the existing system for public service complaints, establishing a Public Services Ombudsperson is not a priority use of resources and should not be pursued further at this time”.
Pictured: An ombudsperson is someone who helps settle complaints.
Two amendments to this policy letter have been submitted, the first from Deputies Heidi Soulsby and John Gollop – members of P&R themselves – which will keep the door open to a future ombudsperson, and a second from Deputies Soulsby and St Pier.
The second amendment will revisit a previous resolution to develop appropriate processes for hearing complaints, while incorporating points raised in the ‘Review of the Governance Arrangements of the Arm’s Length Bodies of the States of Guernsey’ which has been published alongside Deputy St Pier’s amendment.
“I’m lodging this amendment with Deputy Soulsby, not least to ensure that a good piece of work undertaken four years ago by Peter Harwood is not lost gathering dust forever on a shelf,” said Deputy St Pier.
“His report had 29 recommendations that at least deserve consideration. He and his team of three non-States’ members spent two years looking at ‘arm’s length bodies’ and the States relationship with them and what the governance in respect of them ought to look like.
“Those bodies include a whole bunch of panels, tribunals and appeal mechanisms. So if the States doesn’t want to go down an Ombudsperson route just yet, it ought at least to be cracking on with improving what it already has, using the work that’s already been done.”
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