Council of Ministers’ Proposed Strategic Priorities 2015–2018.

Council of Ministers'

Proposed Strategic Priorities 2015-2018

R.8/2015

Contents

Setting the Scene

Introduction 3 Success and Challenge 4

Developing the Priorities

Health and Wellbeing 8 Education 10 Economic Growth 12 St Helier 14

Creating a Sustainable Future

A Sustainable Future 18 The Priorities and Social Inclusion 19 The Priorities and Population 21 Resource Principles 23 How to submit your comments 24

Setting the Scene

Introduction

In today's world, many governments are facing complex economic, social and environmental challenges while simultaneously dealing with declining tax revenues, deficits, and increasing demand on services.

Our Island faces similar issues and choices, but we are in a strong position to chart a course through these challenges and to deliver a successful, sustainable future for Jersey.

This document presents the priorities that we believe should sit at the heart of the Strategic Policy, the "must do's" that can make the biggest difference to Jersey and its people over the next three years and beyond.

The priorities we are proposing highlight issues that require insight and coordinated effort from government and the wider community.

The purpose of this document is to promote discussion and debate so that we, as a community, can talk together about what needs to be done.

Between 27th January and 27th February 2015, the Council would like hear your views on our priorities, and actions you think would help achieve them, bearing in mind the financial constraints we face. States Members will hold a preliminary in-Committee debate to discuss the proposed priorities on 24th February 2015.

The Council of Ministers will then publish a draft plan on 6th March 2015 for debate by the States Assembly on 28th April 2015.

The agreed plan will set the medium term direction for the government and the agenda for the development of a detailed Medium Term Financial Plan, which will be lodged at the end of June 2015. It will also help us to ensure that existing and new strategies are aligned.

At the end of this paper, we explain how you can share your views.

Success and Challenge

Firm Foundations

Jersey compares well with the top performing jurisdictions in the OECD's "Better Life Index" for overall life satisfaction, personal safety and social support networks. Islanders love Jersey for its natural beauty, access to countryside, coast and sea, and the lifestyle these natural assets afford.

The Island is a well-established and highly respected international financial services centre with a valued reputation for stability. It has one of the

highest gross national incomes per capita in the world.

The  government  has  consistently  made  necessary

decisions to deal with emerging challenges on taxation,

pensions and international standards and, through a

policy of prudence, has substantial financial reserves.

These strengths are reflected in our international credit

rating, AA+ with a stable outlook, one of the best ratings

possible for a jurisdiction of this size.

Jersey  is  in  a  strong  position  to  build  on  the  firm foundations laid down over many years. But we must be aware of trends that affect our Island, and cannot take the future for granted.

What are the key challenges we face?

Jersey is facing significant fiscal pressures, especially given the rising demand for health and social care as our society ages.The Council of Ministers are committed to ensuring that our  health  services  can  meet  this  challenge.  However,  although  there  are  signs  of improvement, weak economic performance in a fragile global economy have challenged tax revenues.

In particular:

The updated income forecasts in the 2015 budget warned that income tax revenue would not meet the original forecasts in the 2013 – 2015 Medium Term Financial Plan. Measures have been introduced to meet the projected deficits in 2014 and 2015, including a 2% reduction in spending budgets.

The Council of Ministers are developing their proposals to fund these challenges for inclusion in the 2016 – 2019 Medium Term Financial Plan to be lodged in June 2015, focusing on savings in the public service as a first priority while our economy recovers. During their term of office, the Council of Ministers will also be reviewing the long term sustainability of the Social Security Fund to ensure it can fund the pension requirements of increasing numbers of pensioners.

This sets the context for the Council of Ministers' four proposed priorities: Health and Wellbeing, Education, Economic Growth, and St Helier.

Over the next 20 years the number of people over-65 will double and there will be nearly three times as many people over-85. Fewer people working, fewer people paying tax, more demands on our health and pension systems.This is unsustainable.

Success and Challenge

The fact that we are living longer is an achievement but, as a community, we must accept that an ageing society will cost us more. The longer we live the more medical attention we will need. Our health system needs significant investment, not only to keep pace with growing demand but also to develop services that are sustainable and fit for the future.

In 2010, KPMG estimated that a reformed, sustainable health and social care system would cost the Island an additional £119 million by 2040. Trying to sustain the existing system would cost an additional £150 million and almost certainly fail. Doing nothing is not an option, and so the Council of Ministers has made sustainable health and social services a key priority. Jersey has a history of being far-sighted, and we will continue this.

To enable us to meet this financial challenge, we need to drive productivity-led economic growth. Although our economy has not seen real growth since the onset of the global financial crisis, we are beginning to see signs of recovery. Now we need to step up a gear and prioritise actions that will deliver sustained economic growth. In particular, that means driving productivity improvements so the Island can generate better returns from its resources.

Economic success is increasingly dependent on human talent. Jersey is internationally competitive because we have a highly skilled and experienced workforce. If we are to maintain that advantage and meet the needs of innovative and emerging sectors, our homegrown talent must be able to compete with the skills available elsewhere. A focus on raising standards and improving education outcomes for Jersey's young people has to be a priority.

In today's world, business leaders and skilled workers increasingly consider quality of life when deciding where to locate.We need to protect our natural environment while capitalising on a key asset that has so much more to offer: the town of St Helier. We will develop a shared vision of the town's future that looks at everything from the design of public spaces and transport to improvements in housing. It is an exciting opportunity to create a high quality urban environment that people want to live, invest and work in.

The Council of Ministers will also focus on the cost of government. Public sector reform must accelerate and deliver further productivity improvements - workforce modernisation, service redesign, restructuring and better use of technology. Challenging efficiency and savings targets must be delivered.

Economic growth and public sector productivity are our preferred options to meet the financial challenges we face, but we must be realistic about what can be achieved in the short to medium term. About 70% of government spending is on health, education and benefits.We will need to review the services the States should provide and consider whether some additional charges will be needed to allow us to live within our means.

Each priority has been chosen because it plays a pivotal role in addressing two of Jersey's other key challenges; social inclusion and population. If we are to limit population growth, we have to invest in education and productivity. If we are to attract skilled people to the Island and enhance quality of life for Islanders, we need to protect our countryside and improve our town. If we are to tackle social inclusion, we have to invest in health, education and improved housing. The solutions to these issues require a coherent, collective approach and that is what our priorities will deliver.

Success and Challenge

The Council of Ministers recognises that it has set itself a challenging agenda.The proposed priorities will take time to bear fruit, but we believe that they represent the best possible response to the challenges of today and will best serve Jersey's long term interests.

Further Reading

Jersey's Better Life Index 2013 provides a measure of the Island's overall wellbeing and performance on social, environmental and economic indicators.

Fiscal Policy Panel website  sets out independent economic advice on matters relating to tax and spending policy in Jersey, and the use of the Stabilisation Fund.

Developing the Priorities

Health and Wellbeing

Our Ambition

Islanders live healthier lives, with access to high quality, sustainable health and social care. Please click here to see the Minister for Health's video post.

Why are we focusing on this Priority?

Jersey ranks in the top 10% of countries in the world for life expectancy and 85% of Islanders rate their health as good or better. The services in our hospital would normally only be available to a population of at least 250,000 and the quality of care provided is highly valued.

Across the world, however, many health systems are struggling to meet the challenges of demand, cost and quality. Demand is increasing because people are living longer and unhealthy lifestyles mean more people have chronic diseases. At the same time, new medicines and improved technology improve health care treatment, but increase costs.

Jersey is facing similar pressures. A review published in 2011 found that without urgent reform and investment existing services would quickly reach capacity, safety would be compromised, waiting lists would grow and people's health would suffer. Declining health leads to social exclusion, loss of earnings, and adverse consequences in the wider economy.

Jersey is taking action to meet these challenges. In 2012, the States Assembly approved P82/2012 Health And Social Services: A New Way Forward', which set out a new care model, significant improvements to social care and a planned programme for change. Central to the proposals was the need for a new, modern hospital to meet Jersey's future requirements, for integrated services that are delivered in partnership with the private and community sectors, and a sustainable sustainable funding mechanism.

Government is playing its part in ensuring that Jersey has a safe, sustainable and affordable health and social care system for the future but we all have a stake in the outcome. If we ignore the slow motion growth in the incidence of preventable diseases, Jersey will drift toward an unhealthy and costly future.To give just one example, diabetes figures in Jersey have been doubling every 6-8 years for the past two decades. If this trend does not change, nearly 1 in 8 Islanders will have the condition by 2020. Changes in lifestyle can help check negative health trends before our problems grow. If we are to meet this challenge, everyone needs to play their part.

A new focus is required on health and wellbeing. We must support people to stay healthy and independent. Social care will be critical. It is not enough, however, for prevention to be the sole responsibility of Health and Social Services. The whole of government and all sectors of society have a role to play. It is in everyone's interest for Islanders to live longer, healthier and more productive lives. Ultimately, it is our cumulative effort as a community that will determine what our future holds.

Health and Wellbeing

Desired Outcome Key Areas of Focus 2015-18

1. Sustainable funding Identify and implement a sustainable funding mechanism for for health and social health and social services

care

2. Continued delivery of Continue to develop the health and social care system, as health and social agreed in P82/2012, including integrated out of hospital' care reform services with a range of partner organisations

Develop new strategies for Mental Health, Carers and Children's Services, including children in care, disabled children, transition to adulthood, and children and adolescent mental health services

3. Maximise population Develop a new Health and Wellbeing Framework, to include health and wellbeing strategies on tobacco, sexual health, alcohol, prevention of suicide and food and nutrition

Develop a cross government approach to tackling and improving the wider determinants of health

Introduce new legislation for public health, food safety, housing standards, smoking, and the regulation of care.

4. An agreed model for Develop and agree the Sustainable Primary Care Strategy, Primary Care, within including an implementation plan

the reformed health

and social care

system

5. Significant progress Agree the Future Hospital site and commence the build towards a future

Hospital Agree and introduce as many of the new models of working

as practical and feasible – including emergency and ambulatory care, reduced lengths of stay and new theatres

Further Reading

Health and Social Services: A New Way Forward (P.82/2012) approved by the States in 2012, set out the case for the redesign of health and social care services and a programme for change through to 2021

Health Profile for Jersey 2014 provides a snapshot of the health of Jersey's population.

Education

Our Ambition

An Island with high levels of skills, educational achievement and participation. Please click here to see the Minister for Education's video post.

Why are we focusing on this Priority?

Jersey has some outstanding schools whose results compare with the best in the United Kingdom.

Between 1999 and 2009, Jersey children consistently out-performed their English counterparts in achieving five or more GCSEs at grades A*-C. Since then, however, Jersey's academic performance has plateaued and the Island has been overtaken. This is because the United Kingdom invested in education reform aimed at improving standards and reducing educational inequalities.

It is vital that we close the gap.

The fact that some of our children are not fulfilling their true potential is a waste of Jersey's most precious resource – our people - and an economic inefficiency we can ill afford.

We rely on the skills and abilities of our people to be globally competitive. If we don't provide a high quality workforce, others will.That will require a high level of education.

If the Island is to flourish we need people who will deliver enterprise and innovation, increased productivity, economic growth and a better future for Jersey.

It is crucial that our young people have the skills and confidence to earn enough to sustain a decent standard of living in their own right.

We must ensure our young people have the skills to fill vacancies in the job market so we can reduce the need for areas of skills immigration

Our priority is to ensure that all our young people have the best start in life and have the best opportunity to create a bright future for themselves and their Island.

Education

Desired Outcome Key Areas of Focus 2015-18

1. Reshape the Island's curriculum Implement changes to the school curriculum to ensure that –

all Jersey's children and young people understand the Island's history, geography and culture

Jersey's education system is aligned to, and supports, the Island's economic needs

2. Raise standards and improve Strengthen arrangements to –

outcomes for Jersey's children monitor the progress of individual children, and young people schools, cohorts of children and Jersey as a

whole

challenge schools and the system as a whole  to raise standards and improve outcomes support schools to meet or exceed the ambitious targets they set for their pupils intervene when groups of children are not making expected progress

3. Implement changes to give Review current arrangements to improve financial schools the freedom and planning, recruitment, governance and autonomy they need to raise accountability, estate management

standards over a sustained period

4. Ensure that all children are able Ensure every child has the best start in life and is to engage with learning, make school ready when they enter the Education progress and succeed system.

Refocus resources to enhance services for families and their children

Significantly improve multi-agency working to help support vulnerable families and their children

Economic Growth

Our Ambition

Jersey  achieves  sustained,  productivity-led  economic  growth,  providing  rewarding  job opportunities and rising living standards across society

Please click here to see the Economic Development and Assistant Chief Minister's video post.

Why are we focusing on this Priority?

Jersey has enjoyed the benefits of a high-performing economy for many years. Thanks to this success, Islanders enjoy a good quality of life, low taxes and access to rewarding employment opportunities, while the government has been able to fund high quality public services and infrastructure and build substantial financial reserves.

If we want to preserve this legacy for future generations, we need sustainable economic growth. Given the cost of future challenges such as our ageing society, health care and infrastructure investment, the additional tax revenues from such growth will be essential.

As a small, export-orientated economy, Jersey relies on being globally competitive. All around us, governments are working hard to attract investors, business and talent. They are supporting enterprise and innovation, investing in infrastructure and improving their education systems. Jersey must rise to the challenge to achieve the necessary economic growth.

In order to do this, we need to address the single most important economic challenge that Jersey is facing – how to increase productivity.

Productivity is about how well we use our available resources – land, people and capital – to produce goods and services. Increasing productivity can either produce more goods and services with the same amount of resources or achieve the same levels of production with fewer resources. Increased productivity is not about working longer but working smarter. It's about finding new and innovative ways to do things better. It is also the most likely way to achieve and sustain higher incomes for Islanders in the longer term.

Technology  is  changing  our  world.  It  offers  real  opportunities  to  drive  productivity improvements but also to create new business and employment opportunities. Jersey also needs to be aware of changes in employment as the jobs of the future evolve.

Cost of living pressures are a growing concern to many Islanders. Government can play a key role in helping relieve these pressures by ensuring that markets and competition work in the interests of consumers, businesses and our economy.

Further Reading

Jersey Economic Trends 2014 brings together statistics relating to the Island's economy Economic Outlook: November 2014 looks at local and international economic conditions

Economic Growth

Desired Outcome Key Areas of Focus 2015-18

1. Clear strategies for the high value Develop a plan for future investment and sectors help drive our economy growth in the digital and telecoms sectors

Deliver the Financial Services Policy Framework

2. Drive growth and added value in Promote productivity improvements in new Jersey's traditional' sectors Retail, Tourism and Rural Economy Strategies
3. Jersey is open to and supports Review barriers to starting a business in enterprise and inward investment Jersey

Enhance Jersey's reputation with target audiences

A renewed and challenging Enterprise Strategy

4. A skilled workforce aligned to the Review and upgrade the existing Skills needs of productivity-led Strategy

economic growth

Secure migration that is targeted and delivers the greatest gain

5. All working age people fulfil their Remove barriers to work for key groups (eg; potential in rewarding employment those wanting to work beyond retirement, looking after home and long-term sick)
6. Competition helps contain prices Develop a new Competition Framework and in key markets review opportunities to promote competition
7. Innovation is supported and Develop a new holistic innovation strategy encouraged across all sectors to build on success of the Innovation Fund
8. A high-quality low cost regulatory Review regulatory costs, stresses and environment impediments to business and enterprise  
9. Modern infrastructure supports Review and maintain the Capital Plan economic growth
10. Jersey has sustainable public Develop a new Fiscal Policy Framework and finances and low inflation look at ways to promote financial stability

St Helier

The Ambition

The regeneration of St Helier as a vibrant and attractive town of distinctive character that people want to use, visit, invest and live in.

Please click here to see the Minister for Planning and Environment's video post. Why are we focusing on this priority?

The town of St Helier is the engine of Jersey's economy and, for most of us, the place where we work, live or socialise. Despite playing such an integral part in Island life, however, our town is not fulfilling its true potential.

Our aim is to drive the renaissance of St Helier as a modern, vibrant town that better meets the needs of those who live and work there.

This is not just a proposal to make our town a bit nicer; it is a plan that is vital to Jersey's success. If our economy is to continue to recover and grow, Jersey needs to play to its strengths as an attractive business and living environment. We need to attract and retain high value investment with premier office accommodation and a reputation for a good quality of life and community wellbeing. Ensuring that Jersey has a high quality town to complement our outstanding natural environment is a sound long-term investment.

Regeneration needs to make a difference to residents. There is real scope to make this happen. Less than half of St Helier residents say they are "very satisfied" with their neighbourhood as a place to live compared with 72% elsewhere in the Island. More than one in five are dissatisfied with their housing, compared with just 8% for the rest of the Island. This needs to change.

We need to ensure that St Helier is a liveable town, offering pleasant and stimulating public places for people to pass through and visit; that it is a social town, with inclusive places for community and cultural activities and for people to meet; and an economically vibrant town, where local business is well-connected to its customers.

There are other tangible benefits. Urban living offers residents easy access to work, saving on commuting costs and the health rewards of walking and cycling. Modern homes can also deliver major savings on utility costs and provide healthier living. Success will hinge on transport solutions that ensure the town is easier to get in and out of and around.

This agenda is not only good for Islanders, it is also increases our attractiveness as a tourist destination.Vitally, it also means we can accommodate limited population growth and protect the quality, character and biodiversity of our countryside and coast for all Islanders to enjoy.

The look and feel of our town cannot be altered quickly or easily, but change is inevitable. The jobs we do, the homes we live in and the ways we shop, travel and socialise are all evolving. Some buildings and streets clearly need a new lease of life.We must embrace and manage these changes in a coherent way, celebrate and protect what is good about our town and remember that success will benefit the rest of the Island too.

St Helier

The government has an important role to play in creating the conditions for private sector investment, removing barriers to regeneration and by looking after and improving the public realm. However, delivering successful regeneration is a shared responsibility that will require a new partnership between government, parishes, businesses and the wider community.

St Helier

Desired Outcome Key Areas of Focus 2015-18

1. A shared vision for the Future Develop a shared vision and a Masterplan,

of St Helier including an approach to funding that facilitates

investment

Enhance the value of the public sector property portfolio, including improving Fort Regent, using the hospital development to support St Helier, and rationalise government office spaces

2. Attractive, well-used public Increase the quality and quantity of public space spaces meet the needs of town - streets, squares, parks, other green space - residents and visitors and the links between them
3. St Helier is an attractive Develop the International Business Centre on business destination with the Esplanade, and office space as a key premier office accommodation component of our town
4. Older commercial areas and Bring forward planning policies and development buildings are reinvented and briefs for key areas and sites in town; preserve renewed and enhance the best of what we have; review barriers to change and create a climate for investment
5. St Helier provides attractive Introduce new standards for the design of homes urban living with quality homes and improved quality standards for rental and neighbourhoods accommodation
6. Town is easy and convenient Produce a clear and comprehensive plan for

to get into and out of; and easy travel and transport in and around the town; ring and safe to move around road parking; more pedestrian areas; adequate

parking for the town

7. St Helier is a vibrant place Develop a retail strategy to support a thriving and where people can enjoy quality distinctive retail core appropriate to current and leisure time future demand

Develop a culture strategy to secure the contribution that cultural activitiescan make to the regeneration of the town

Creating a Sustainable Future

A Sustainable Future

The Council has chosen its four priorities because significant improvement in these areas will make the biggest difference to Jersey's future. This focus does not detract from our responsibility to fulfil all Ministerial responsibilities. For example:

We need to protect our environment to make our Island an even better place to live and enjoy

Crime continues to fall significantly, and Islanders say that safety is what they value most about living in Jersey.

The infrastructure of our Island is vital to many aspects of everyday life, including dealing with changes in our environment.

An inclusive community has a responsibility to protect disadvantaged people and help transform their lives.

Click here to see a video post on Jersey's long term future.

A broader set of goals – the building blocks of our Island's economic, social and environmental wellbeing – need to be embedded into the Island's planning process. Aspirations should be set and progress measured. In 2015, the Council of Ministers will develop a new long term plan for Jersey to provide a shared vision of Jersey's future.

This new approach, which reflects international best practice, will allow long term solutions to issues such as demographic change, energy security and infrastructure planning and help ensure that our strategies are properly co-ordinated. Above all, the new plan will be about ensuring the quality of life of Islanders, but it will also act as a prospectus for investors and talent that will tell the world what Jersey is about and where we are headed in the future.

Further Reading

State of Jersey Environment Reportreports on the condition of Jersey's environment in 2010. The report is produced every five years.

Building a Safer Society Annual Report

States of Jersey Police Annual Report 2013 See also JASS 2014 linked on page 19

Turning Point: Climate Change Impacts Report Extract from report on gov.je. Chapter 4 describes what climate change will mean for Jersey

Challenges for the Water Environment of Jersey

The Priorities and Social Inclusion

Jersey has one of the highest gross national incomes per capita in the world, but we also face higher costs than elsewhere, and a sizeable proportion of Islanders live in relative low income and have difficulty coping financially.

The four priorities are critical to promoting social inclusion and tackling relative low income in the long term.

Poor health can drive social exclusion, and social exclusion itself can cause health problems

Our focus on increasing the health and wellbeing of our community, and ensuring that people can access quality care if they need it, will help reduce social exclusion.

Education plays a pivotal role in the prevention of social exclusion.

People who leave schools with low levels of educational attainment and poor basic skills are at a higher risk of experiencing social exclusion as adults.

Our focus on education is intended to ensure that every Islander has every opportunity to develop the skills and confidence to become successful, independent citizens.

This includes a focus on ensuring that every child has the best start in life.

Nothing undermines social inclusion more than financial hardship

Our focus on economic growth is intended to help create more good jobs and opportunities for Islanders, remove barriers to employment and increase participation,

improve earnings by increasing productivity, increase competition to constrain prices and support more affordable living

Economic growth will also provide government with the resources to fund services and to help lower-income households and safeguard the vulnerable.

Urban design has a strong influence on people's quality of life, how they live and think.

Our focus on St Helier will help improve the quality of its homes and neighbourhoods.This includes improved provision and quality of housing, and more public spaces.

Improving our town as a place to live, visit and enjoy will help create a stronger community and increase social inclusion

The Priorities and Social Inclusion

Because of our size and the strong networks between departments and relationships with partner agencies, government in Jersey is well placed to understand economic and social trends and Islanders' needs, and to design new collaborative ways to tackle social inclusion, including:

Developing an overarching family policy statement setting out what will be done, and by whom, in order to support families in Jersey, and a more targeted, joined-up approach to families and individuals with multiple and complex needs

Developing strategy and legislation to promote social inclusion, including a disability strategy, and discrimination and equal marriage legislation

Developing  new  partnerships  with  the  Parishes,  and  voluntary  and  community organisations, to coordinate services

Further Reading

Jersey-UK Relative Consumer Price Levels for Goods and Services 2013 presents consumer price levels for Jersey relative to the United Kingdom

Jersey Annual Social Survey 2014 includes a section on the current financial circumstances of Jersey households

Social Security Annual Report provides information on all contributory and tax-funded benefits and services

The Priorities and Population

The Big Picture

The world's population is currently increasing by around six million people per week. Cities are growing. By 2030, London is planning for a 15% increase in its population, Singapore is predicting population increases of up to 25% and New York is aiming for a million new residents. Melbourne, currently rated as the world's most 'liveable' city, anticipates it will be home to 40% more people by 2031.

These cities are all responding to the same demographic challenge.Without inward migration, their working age populations would shrink at the same time as their pensioner populations grow. That means fewer workers to fund rising health and pension costs and the prospect of increased taxes. Businesses and skilled workers are highly mobile in today's world and will leave if their aspirations can be better met elsewhere.

Population growth is a solution for these cities - not a problem. They actively want to attract younger, skilled workers to ensure a sustainable, prosperous future.The challenge they face is to accommodate more people in a way that sustains their attraction as a place to live.Their plans emphasise social and environmental improvements.

The Challenge for Jersey

Jersey faces the same demographic challenge and competes for investment, business and talent on the same stage as these cities. Past success is no guarantee for the future in this changing environment. If investors, businesses and our young people believe their aspirations can be better met elsewhere, Jersey will have to deal with the costly challenge of its rapidly ageing population without the economic base to fund it.

Our position is made more complex because we are a small island with limited capacity for population growth. Islanders are worried that growth and associated development will erode the environmental and social advantages we value so highly. We must find a solution that meets our economic challenges without sacrificing the prized asset of 'liveability' that many competitors crave.

In Jersey, this means getting the most value out of our existing workforce and the most value from every migrant worker. Only in this way can we grow our economy while limiting migration.

The Council of Ministers' four priorities will provide the necessary population policy levers for the future.

The Priorities and Population

Health is a key determinant of economic participation.

By 2030, about 40% of working age people in Jersey will be over-50. People will also be retiring later. It is these older workers who are most at risk of having to give up work because of illness or to care for someone in poor health, and in many parts of the world older workers increasingly choose to stay in the workforce flexibly.

Our focus on education is aimed at developing a high quality home grown workforce, equipped with the skills that local businesses need and a deeper understanding of the Island's culture and history.

This will help constrain our need to import labour, using the Control of Housing and Work Law to ensure that migration is focused on individuals who deliver the greatest economic and social gain.

Increased productivity in our economy must sit at the heart of population policy.

With the right choices, our focus on supporting productivity improvements in our economy can lead to higher production, higher value and higher incomes for every hour worked by our existing work force, and higher revenues to fund public services.

Providing the right employment opportunities will encourage our young people to stay in Jersey or return to the Island.

If we succeed, we can reduce our future reliance on migrant labour

Improving St Helier enables us to support limited population growth, whilst helping preserve our coast and countryside for everyone's enjoyment.

If Jersey is to attract and retain the talent we need, St Helier needs high quality, desirable housing and neighbourhoods that provide great places to live and bring up families - for people of all incomes.

Further Reading

Interim Population Policy as approved by the States of Jersey in May 2010

Resource Principles

Spending

It is crucial to keep public sector spending under control so the Island can remain competitive with relatively low levels of inflation. If the States is to provide sustainable services to the public it is fundamental that we take account of the economic outlook, be prudent in our spending plans, ensure that savings and efficiencies are implemented and not increase public spending unless it is matched by savings or additional income.

The following resource principles should apply:

Be prudent, taking account of the uncertain economic and financial outlook.

Identify and implement all possible savings and efficiencies. We will optimise methods of service delivery, to improve service delivery and value for money.

No additional spend unless matched by savings or income.

Continue to support the economy in line with the advice of the Fiscal Policy Panel. Maintain balanced budgets over the economic cycle.

Actively manage our assets by maximising investment returns within agreed levels of risk.

Plan our expenditure on capital and infrastructure over the long term and consider carefully the appropriate sources of funding for major projects, including borrowing.

There is increasing recognition that we have to manage for the long term. Our capital investment decisions will look to the future so that we continue to invest in the right capital and infrastructure projects. This helps departments plan for service change and improvement, helps support economic growth and safeguards the Island for generations to come.

Taxation

Jersey's tax regime is based on the following key principles -

Taxation must be necessary, justifiable and sustainable. Taxes should be low, broad and simple.

Everyone should make an appropriate contribution to the cost of providing services, while those on the lowest incomes are protected.

Taxes must be internationally competitive.

Taxation should support economic development and social policy, where possible.

How to submit your comments

The Council of Ministers would like to hearyour views on our priorities, and any actions you think would help achieve them.We are asking Islanders to submit their comments between 27th January and 27th February 2015 so that we can publish our final proposals on 6th March.

To make this possible, the Council has published its proposed Strategic Priorities as an interactive online document for the first time.

You can read about the priorities, watch supporting videos and follow links to background reading and information.You can also add your comments on the document and see feedback from other Islanders.

The new approach is an example of how the States of Jersey is using technology to improve its processes. In the past, the States has used traditional methods of consultation with the majority of activity carried out on paper and all response tracking handled manually. Now, people's comments can be made viewable to the public so they can see that their comments have been received are being taken into account.We can also collate, review and consider the responses better than we have ever done before.

Ministers will also be available to discuss the priorities in public meetings and online discussions during the consultation period which runs until 27th February. Notification of these events will be posted in the media and on gov.je.

Council of Ministers

Chief Minister's Department Cyril le Marquand House The Parade

St Helier

Jersey

JE4 8QT

t. 01534 445500

w. www.gov.je