Public Accounts Committee investigates performance management in the civil service
3 August 2023
Over the last five weeks, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) held ten Public Hearings regarding the Performance Management Review, which was launched to investigate how performance management processes have been applied in Government.
The Committee questioned the:
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Former Chief Executive Officer, Suzanne Wylie
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Chief Officer for External Relations, Kate Nutt
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Chief Officer for Justice and Home Affairs, Kate Briden
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Assistant Chief Executive, Tom Walker
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Chief Officer for Customer and Local Services, Ian Burns
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Chief Officer for Infrastructure and Environment, Andy Scate
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Chief Minister for the Economy, Richard Corrigan
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Chief Officer for Health and Community Services, Chris Bown
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Assistant Chief Executive and Treasurer of the States, Richard Bell
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Chief Officer for Children, Young People, Education and Skills, Robert Sainsbury
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Chief of Police, Robin Smith
The questions asked by the PAC covered a range of topics, including:
Risks within each Government Department:
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The PAC heard that there were common risks that departments faced, such as finances, retention of staff and IT systems and processes.
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The PAC also heard that departments were mitigating these using risk management systems and undertaking strategic workforce planning.
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The PAC learned that a major risk for the Department for the Economy is MONEYVAL. If they are not successful in meeting the required standards, this could have an impact on the Island's reputation and economy. However, the Chief Officer is confident that the department has a comprehensive plan in place and this will alleviate the risk of falling below standards.
Staff recruitment, turnover and morale:
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The PAC heard that most staff members leave Government roles for reasons such as relocating away from the Island, promotions to other Government departments or moving to the private sector for financial reasons.
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The PAC also heard that it is difficult to attract and retain a high calibre of staff, and that there are many vacancies that they are still attempting to fill, especially those in the Health and Community Services Department and the Jersey Fire and Rescue Service. However, the PAC was pleased to hear that the recruitment campaign for the Jersey Prison Service was successful, and they are beginning to meet their employment targets.
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The PAC was informed that the current expected turnaround time between hiring and starting a nurse's role is 150 days, which is a statistic that the Health and Community Services Department is aiming to improve.
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The PAC looked for assurance that all staff members, including agency staff and regardless of whether they are a States employee, understand output objectives and ministerial plans. They were informed that there have been specific events run to ensure that all employees understood this.
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Additionally, the PAC heard that throughout the departments, staff morale was mostly positive, and was not cited as a reason for staff leaving, however it was noted that there is still room for improvement. In some cases, it was concerning how long disputes had been left unresolved.
Setting Objectives:
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The PAC heard that there had been improvements in paying outstanding debts to companies since the introduction of the new 'Connect' system in January 2023.
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Although some officers reported that the implementation of 'Connect' has increased the number of Government employees recording and tracking their objectives, take up is still lower than what the PAC expected, and there is still more work to do to ensure it is properly implemented across the board and fit for purpose in every department. The PAC also notes that there are a significant number of employees (including Teachers and Police Officers) who fall out of scope of Connect entirely.
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The PAC learned that all the Government officers questioned, were clear on their goals, and many noted their aims to reach the Ministerial Delivery Plan targets.
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The PAC was also informed that all the Chief Officers had set their targets, and these were cascaded down to direct reports, promoting a transparent work culture. However, the number of employees that have completed objectives varies between departments, with Health and Community Services having the lowest percentage of staff completing them.
Executive Leadership Team (ELT):
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The PAC heard that the overall Executive Leadership Team that is made up of the Chief Officers of each department meets regularly to discuss issues such as organisation wide risks. However, at present it is the view of the PAC that it does not appear to be as an effective a unit as it could be for supporting and managing issues that fall across the Government.
Deputy Lyndsay Feltham, Chair of the Public Accounts Committee, said: 'It has been an incredibly informative few weeks, and we would like to extend our thanks to all the Chief Officers for their time. Many key themes emerged throughout the hearings, and we note that some areas need significant improvement. We also heard about positive progress in some areas. Over the coming weeks we will request written evidence to back up the statements made by Officers. It is our intention to review this evidence and publish our final report and recommendations in October.'
A full recording of the Treasurer of the States, Richard Bell's Public Hearing can be watched here.
A full recording of the Chief of Police, Robin Smith's Public Hearing can be watched here.
