Making 
Savings 

During the last term, the first P&R, of which I was a member, created a committee which gathered a significant number of contributions in relation to saving costs - these are the contributions I made to that sub-committee.  

 

None of these have been pursued, except the removal of GP11, which was the subject of a requete (which I supported) after significant resistance from certain individuals.  I have tried to implement several of them by way of amendments to the last budget and a requete to reduce the number of States members (which failed on a tied 19-19 vote to reduce numbers by 5).  

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Making savings is not just about staff numbers - it is about a mindset where we only try to do what is absolutely necessary and where we defer to the private sector first, not simply grow government.  We must learn to say "no" when there are no resources - the public very clearly does not want more government or bureaucracy.  

 

This list serves to demonstrate that there are significant opportunities to save money and reduce government's size.   We are just not able to pursue any of them because we have a government system where nobody is in charge,  and where we do not have enough members willing to embrace change.   

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It's really down to you, the voter, whether we get a government capable of making these decisions by finding candidates willing to do things differently.  If we have enough of them, we can change the way things are done.  

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• Disband Environment & Infrastructure - Environment goes to the commission for advisory role, infrastructure is transferred to Economic Development or a board of administration 

• Disband engineering and in house planning and property services and outsource management to private sector

• Disband States Trading & Supervisory Board ("STSB"), move shareholder function to Policy & Resource

• Reduce the number of non-executive directors on STSB assets companies to two per compan

• Partially list Guernsey Electricity and then merge with Jersey Electricity - use proceeds to capitalise grid infrastructure and as a platform for large >1.5Gw offshore wind farm to generate sea bed lease income

• Call in Aurigny aircraft loans, take possession of aircraft, roll into a special purpose vehicle and list shares with a guaranteed return and fixed price leases to reduce Aurigny costs

• Sell / list post office operations and remain minority shareholder

• Remove GP11 - incentivise low cost housing through faster, cheaper planning process for low cost housing developments

• Take back property bought for the Guernsey Housing Association and give plots away through an island-wide raffle process to self-build first time buyers / off plan buyers - “buy a ticket for a first timer”.

• Sell the dairy to farmers for a pound, then eliminate all subsidies over 5 years

• Become minority shareholder in states works - privatise

• Put lots up for sale at the airport to private developer(s) and enable them to input into extension plans if they wish to - consider tax free entrepôt for assets and substances such as cannabis oil / gold

• Halve numbers of states deputies, reduce committee sizes to 3 per committee, reduce numbers of committees by other measures in this list - have not less than 1 non-executive director (with relevant qualifications and experience) on each board / committee with full voting powers

• Externalise scrutiny processes - no politicians - let them take part in process rather than run it

• Give Policy & Resources full executive power over budgets and spending, irrespective of States decisions - make the States a proper “policy only” chamber

• Remove debate on amendments - amendments approved by the sponsor committee go straight into propositions, amendments not approved require 5 signatures and there is no debate - go straight to vote on “in or out” of propositions.

• Amendments which go beyond propositions can only be included if approved by the sponsor committee(s)

• Get rid of question time or reduce the quorum required during question time to 5

• Reduce debate speeches to 5 minutes maximum.

• Members without portfolio should only be paid £200 per states meeting, if they turn up, - publish attendance of states members at committee presentations on key issues (tax, primary legislation etc)

• Minority committee members such as those on the States Assembly and Constitution Committee should be paid less

• Planning laws need cutting in half and enforceable time limits for response - allow P&R to redirect issues such as GP11 changes to the States rather than lengthy and expensive planning inquiry

• Outsource the airport fire service in Guernsey and Alderney to the private sector

• Transfer responsibility to Jersey for our air traffic control in Guernsey and Alderney (Jersey already receives all of the proceeds (4m) of air traffic management in Bailiwick air space)

• Ministers appoint their own committee members and can require them to resign

• Combine P&R and Employment and Social Security into a single committee

• Cap child benefits to no more than 2 children

• Phase out all family allowances over 5 years

• Create compulsory work scheme for unemployed (with the alternative of training) - link to payment of benefits

• Means test pensions and all other benefits - provide for a formal award for those who volunteer to waive pension or other benefit rights

• Require those with medical insurance to claim on it when in receipt of any medical treatment

• Reduce / remove access to health and other free services for those who have not earned a qualifying period (10 years) of social security and tax

• Provide for a compulsory medical insurance scheme for new residents (backed into the market)

• Charge for elderly care through fees converting to bonds on property

• Close Defined Benefit pension scheme - allow current members to move their “pot” to the secondary pension scheme to enhance investment returns (or personal RAT)

• Consider transfer of heritage & culture assets to the tourist board, similarly sports

• Accelerate solar generation with a £50m loan fund - repaid through charges per unit of electricity on installations

• Make the Guernsey yacht registry the best, easiest to use and most flexible - outsource it !!