"No single factor" behind Deputies' pay decision

Friday 27 September 2019

The politician who brought cost-saving proposals to the States believes there are a number of reasons why Deputies rejected them - some of which are due to the people involved, rather than the money itself.

Policy & Resources was responsible for bringing an independent review panel’s recommendations to the Assembly for debate.

The review panel suggested an initial pay uplift for States members in 2020, ahead of the next States term, based on 2% increases in median earnings, with no further increases during the four-year term. 

Compared to current year-on-year salary increases, it would have saved taxpayers almost a quarter of a million pounds between 2020 and 2024. 

However, 18 States members voted against the proposals and only 14 in support, with voting records available here. 

Deputy Gavin St Pier, who supported the panel's recommendations, said there appeared to be a variety of reasons why the States rejected the proposals. 

“The net result is that the existing arrangements will continue,” he said. “There were some in the debate who don’t like the review process, there are some who don’t like the make-up of the review panel, there are some who don’t like the report itself and who were uncomfortable with the idea of a significant uplift every four years.”

“There was a collection of reasons - I don’t think there was a single factor.”