New Chief Secretary for ESC

Friday 06 July 2018

A veteran civil servant has been appointed Chief Secretary for Education, Sport & Culture.

Colette Falla who was most recently the Director of Strategy & Policy for the States, has been given the position, replacing Gus Paterson who was only in post for a few months before recently resigning.

Through her previous work, it was decided she had the ability and qualities needed for success, and she has also worked closely with both officers and members of the Policy & Resources and the Policy Council in the past.

"I am joining a really experienced team, so I’m looking forward to working with them all, including those working in our schools as well as the Committee, not only to deliver transformation within our secondary and post 16 education system but also to deliver excellent services right across all areas of education and the other important services not to be forgotten that cover sport and culture in the Bailiwick," she said.

Deputy Matt Fallaize, the President of ESC, added: "The Committee are extremely pleased with the appointment of Colette Falla as Chief Secretary.

"We are certain that Colette’s knowledge and experience inleadership and management will prove to be extremely beneficial and we lookforward to working with her."

This newest appointment is just that in a string of others made to the committee's board. 

Mrs Falla replaces Mr Paterson, who filled the role for around four months, but other roles have been filled with people such as Andrew Warren, the new Director of Education, and Liz Coffey, the new Executive Headteacher of the future high school.

Paul Whitfield, Chief Executive of the States, said he was looking forward to working with Mrs Falla in her new role, and that her knowledge of the States and her leaderships skills would allow her to make the transition easily.

Previously, Deputy Fallaize (pictured) has said there was the need for a cultural change in ESC's civil service. Since he took office earlier in the year, replacing the previous committee after it resigned en masse, a number of the civil servants working for Deputy Fallaize at ESC, and within education in particular, have left their posts - most recently was Mr Patterson.

Deputy Fallaize said this shakeup was down to a number of reasons, from retirement to new opportunities for people, but he emphasised the need for cultural change to come with the people filling those roles, to match the new direction of the committee.