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Half of the 22 senior civil service jobs created in the last 12 months have come within Policy & Resources - a figure that has been branded “rather alarming” by the Head of that Committee.
It was announced last month that P&R’s employment lead, Deputy David Mahoney, would be reviewing all proposed appointments to Senior Officer roles across the civil service.
The move was met with uproar in some quarters, with STSB President Peter Roffey accusing P&R of attempting to smuggle in cabinet government by the backdoor in an “astonishing power grab”.
His Vice-President Charles Parkinson has since upped the rhetoric, alleging that P&R had “poached” two of the department’s senior civil servants for newly-formed permanent roles within P&R.
In response to questions from Express, P&R supplied a breakdown of new SO1 roles in the last 12 months.
May 2020 – October 2020 (pre-election)
Health & Social Care: 1 fixed term, 1 permanent
Home Affairs: 1 fixed term, 1 permanent
Law Officers: 1 fixed term
Policy & Resources: 3 fixed term, 4 permanent
States Trading Supervisory Board: 1 fixed term, 2 permanent
November 2020 – April 2021 (post-election)
Economic Development: 1 fixed term
Education, Sport & Culture: 1 fixed term
Health & Social Care: 1 fixed term
Policy & Resources: 2 fixed term, 2 permanent
Deputy Mahoney is now scrutinising the recruitment and replacement of staff at SO1, and is able to refer final decisions for a full meeting of the P&R Committee to rule upon.
Before proposed appointments reach the deputy, they are reviewed by a civil service recruitment panel.
“As announced last month, the Policy & Resources Committee is reviewing all proposed appointments to Senior Officer roles within the civil service,” he said.
“This is not particular to any committee (as reflected in the breakdown provided) and is intended to ensure a consistent rigorous review of the need for all Senior Officer appointments across the spectrum of the civil service.”
Two of the new posts have been created for former employees of the STSB. STSB has not been allowed to replace the staff who have been poached by P&R
— Charles Parkinson (@dep_parkinson) May 14, 2021
Pictured: The P&R Committee declined to comment on the remarks made by STSB Vice-President Charles Parkinson.
The Policy & Resources Committee also has oversight for new appointments made within its own office.
“It is right that this scrutiny is provided by the Policy & Resources Committee who have the responsibility as employer of all States employees,” Deputy Mahoney replied.
“The Committee believes there is an expectation from the electorate that it does everything possible to fulfil this responsibility.”
In response to formal questions from Deputy Gavin St Pier, P&R President Peter Ferbrache said a total of 48 Senior Officers had been replaced or recruited in the last 12 months.
Pictured: Deputies Mark Helyar and David Mahoney from Policy & Resources.
“My Committee remain concerned about the on-going increase in staff costs, and identified a need for closer political scrutiny and challenge,” Deputy Ferbrache wrote to the man he succeeded as Chief Minister.
“This is essential. We are looking at established staff in the first instance, those Senior Officer grades of SO1 and above.
“The data shows that since May last year, 48 SO1 or above posts were approved for recruitment, and rather alarmingly 21 [this figure has since been checked and revised to 22] of these were new posts.
"The majority of the 48 were permanent contracts. This highlights the need for greater challenge.”
Pictured top: Deputies David Mahoney and Peter Ferbrache.
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