Recent freedom of information requests have revealed that the States spent more than £120,000 on the services of PR firm Portland Communications between 2012 and 2017, £97,000 of which was spent during a nine-month period in 2013.
A further £33,500 was recently paid to Portland, as well as £18,000 to former Conservative Party spin doctor Ramsay Jones, for advice on how ministers should handle the international media when the findings of the Independent Jersey Care Inquiry are published.
During the last year a further £11,200 was paid to Marcom Collective Ltd for advice on Treasury Minister Alan Maclean’s ‘communications strategy’ for the Medium Term Financial Plan – the States spending plan for 2016 to 2019.
Deputy Simon Brée, the vice-chairman of the Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel, said that he was ‘very angry’ at the amount the States had spent on PR.
‘If they are elected as a minister then they should be able to communicate – they shouldn’t need someone to advise them how to do it,’ he said.
‘This makes me very angry at a time when there are cuts and we are being told there is not enough money for things.
‘And their communication is poor. There is a breakdown in their communications with their States colleagues and with the public.
‘Two glaring examples of this spring to mind recently – the hospital funding debate being pulled at the last minute, to everyone’s surprise, and the reappointment of Senator Ozouf, which was a complete surprise, on the evening before everyone went on half-term holiday.’
Public Accounts Committee chairman Deputy Andrew Lewis, who is responsible for reviewing States expenditure, said that he was ‘sceptical’ whether the money had been well spent.
