Deputy Tracey Vallois had called for the renewed contract of the States chief executive, John Richardson, to be cancelled and a new ‘fair and competitive’ recruitment process held.
However, her proposition was defeated by 29 votes to 12.
Outlining her proposition yesterday to the Assembly, she said: ‘If this proposition had not been lodged, then Members would have been none the wiser as to the extension of the chief executive’s appointment, which is a very unsatisfactory state of affairs.
However, several States Members criticised the Deputy’s proposition, including Senator Sir Philip Bailhache, who said that he was ‘dismayed’.
He said: ‘This proposition amounts to an inducement to the States Employment Board to break a contract which was lawfully entered into.
‘If we break a contractual entitlement for the chief executive officer, then we can do it for any employee of the States.’
He added that if there were doubts over the original selection process for the chief executive – who was formally appointed in 2012 – a vote of no confidence in the Council of Ministers should have been called.
Chief Minister Ian Gorst – who has previously admitted that normal procedures were not followed when Mr Richardson was given the job – said that the cost of financial compensation for Mr Richardson should his contract be cancelled, estimated at £500,000 – had to be considered.
He added that an ‘open and competitive’ process would take place when appointing the next chief executive.
St Peter Constable John Refault questioned the morality of cancelling the contract even if procedures were not followed.
He said: ‘Is it right for an employee to suffer for the mistakes of other people?’
In her closing statement, Deputy Vallois said that she felt that calling a vote of no confidence would have been a ‘blunt instrument’.
She added that she had not wanted to call for the termination of Mr Richardson’s contract but had been unaware of his reappointment when she first lodged her proposition, which was intended to focus on openness and fairness in the recruitment process.
