A NEW population policy, delivering more key-worker accommodation, and ensuring Jersey takes a ‘proactive and visible leadership role’ in the response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine are among the ministerial priorities set out for this term of office.
Each minister has outlined their priorities following the release last week of the Common Strategic Policy and Government Plan documents. The plans will form part of the government’s work programme and be updated annually.
Here is a summary of the nine pledges made by Chief Minister Kristina Moore.
1. Leading a government that is trusted, compassionate and responsive.
The Chief Minister has made various pledges, including to open constituency offices in each voting district. She has also promised to create ‘positive opportunities for ministers and government to listen to and engage with Islanders and stakeholders’. This will include a series of open evenings in each of the parishes. An action plan will also be developed to ‘improve the range and accessibility of data and information across government and make a formal and structured process for better inclusion of minority and less heard groups in policy development processes’.
2. Strengthening the relationship between the government, States and the parishes.
Deputy Moore has pledged to achieve this by:
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Holding monthly meetings with the President of Scrutiny Liaison Committee.
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Holding quarterly meetings with Scrutiny chairs to discuss progress on ministerial work programmes.
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Developing and publishing an annual programme of ministerial priorities and associated legislation. Each minister will provide an annual progress report to the relevant Scrutiny panel in December each year.
The Council of Ministers will also meet once a month in each parish across the year.
3. Building strong partnerships across the whole of government, the private sector and charitable and community organisations to deliver real benefits for Islanders.
4. Directing and requiring that governance arrangements are in place to support a culture of delivery and robust decision making that is efficient, effective, value for money, transparent and accountable across the whole of government.
The Chief Minister has made various pledges to achieve this, including by tasking officials to develop ‘intelligent integrated government data insights to support robust decision making’, and the adoption of the Statistics Code of Practice to ‘build a culture of trust, quality and value in the production and release of government data’. She has also promised to use the Public Accounts Committee ‘tracker model’ to report progress on Scrutiny panels’ recommendations on a quarterly basis and to monitor key States Assembly decisions and reviews.
5. Reviewing the capacity and resources of the Strategic Housing function to ensure government has strong and sustained actions to tackle the housing crisis and increase home ownership.
6. Making support to children and their families central to the work of this new government by leading on delivery of the outcomes of the 2017 Care Inquiry Report, to ensure we learn from the mistakes of the past and ensure that we delivery positive change.
7. Supporting an engaged and productive public service by listening and engaging with staff.
Deputy Moore hopes to achieve this by undertaking a programme of departmental site visits, and holding webinars and staff leadership development events. A ‘Be Heard’ staff engagement survey will be carried out and the results will be published by the autumn of 2023. The Chief Minister has also pledged to increase the number of key worker housing units by at least 100 by the end of next year.
8. Continuing to support the delivery of efficient, effective public services
The Chief Minister has pledged to focus on the recruitment and retention of staff in critical frontline services, such as children’s social care, education and healthcare.
9. Progressing population and migration policy
Following years of delays, the Chief Minister has said that the Council of Ministers will develop a Common Population Policy for presentation to the States by the end June 2023. She has pledged that ‘accurate and timely’ statistics will be collected on population trends, and that the 2(1)(e) policy will be updated to ‘enhance the economic and social benefits to the island from a fewer number’ of high-net-worths.
