PLANS which have been years-long in the works to create a Public Services Ombudsperson could face a vote by the end of this year.
Chief Minister Lyndon Farnham said his government had set aside £398,000 in the 2026 Budget to establish an independent body to handle complaints about government departments and other public bodies.
Answering questions from the Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel in a letter, Deputy Farnham said ministers had considered proposals for the role in September and had now commissioned a financial assessment, including a cost-benefit analysis, which will be reviewed before a final decision is made.
Should the analysis be supportive, long-awaited ombudsman plans could be put to a States Assembly vote before the end of 2025.
Although the creation of an independent public-sector ombudsperson – first proposed more than two decades ago – was approved by the Assembly in 2018, the project stalled under successive governments due to the pandemic, and more recently, concerns about cost.
At present, complaints are handled by the volunteer-run States of Jersey Complaints Board, which has limited powers and has faced criticism over whether its findings are taken seriously by senior officials.
In July, Environment Minister Steve Luce boycotted a public hearing regarding a complaint about his department, raising concerns over the panel’s conduct.
