Outlining his vision to improve the quality of Jersey’s public services, Charlie Parker said that he was aiming to make the States more customer-focused and to develop greater teamwork between departments. He warned, however, that his planned overhaul would involve ‘casualties’.
Mr Parker this week unveiled his plans to transform the States with one of his key early targets being the shedding of 22 senior management positions to save £1 million per year.
Mr Parker also announced that the number of States departments would be cut from ten to seven and that he intended to get public servants working together, reduce duplication and end the culture of different sections acting as independent ‘fiefdoms’.
He added that the States needed to start putting customers first and announced that a specific single unit would be established to provide ‘States customer services’ and support for a range of issues – from planning applications to tax and social security matters.
The announcements came as Mr Parker revealed that the States had withdrawn its workforce modernisation pay offer to organisations (see page 2).
The new chief executive also aims to introduce a ‘flatter’ management structure, with fewer layers between senior management and frontline staff, make decision-making and assessment of performance standards more transparent and create a culture of ‘teamwork, collaboration and getting things right first time’.
When asked what would happen to senior staff who were no longer required following his reforms, Mr Parker confirmed that some would need to ‘leave the business’.
‘We will obviously, as part of our employment process, look at redeployment. We are also going to be working across the Island to see if some people could be working in other parts of the economy,’ he said.
‘And there will be opportunities for some people to be retrained where appropriate. But where we don’t have a home for them, they will leave the business.’
He added: ‘You will see savings. We will go through the whole business like this. We will be bringing in specialists in HR for people who are affected.
‘There will be a range of other support mechanisms in place and there will be proper employee advice. But there will be casualties.’
Mr Parker said that money would be invested in staff development because he wanted to create opportunities for workers so they got on board with his modernisation programme.
He added that plans to relocate all States staff into one central building were still in progress and would help break down the ‘fiefdom culture’.
Among the new departments to be established is a Growth, Housing and Island Environment Department which will include sections of the existing Infrastructure, Economic Development, Environment and Housing Departments.
A Children, Young People, Education and Skills Department is also planned, which will be responsible for completing the recommendations of the Independent Jersey Care Inquiry.
A 90-day consultation period is due to be held to discuss the reforms, as well as a 45-day consultation with ‘senior leaders’ who will be affected by the changes.
Chief Minister Ian Gorst said that Mr Parker was recruited to ‘modernise and improve’ Jersey’s public services and to ‘provide better value for money’.
‘He has set about that task with impressive speed and I’m confident that the proposed restructuring and the focus on the economy, customers and vulnerable children and adults, will lead to swift and visible changes in the government’s services to Islanders,’ Senator Gorst said.
The proposals were approved by the States Employment Board last week. They were also shared with the Council of Ministers and endorsed by the Chief Minister.
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The proposed new departments would be:
- States Treasurer and Exchequer
- Customer and Local Services
- Children, Young People, Education and Skills
- Health and Community Services
- Justice and Home Affairs
- Growth, Housing and Island Environment
- Strategic Policy, Performance and Population
*A Chief Operating Office and Office of the Chief Executive will also be established
