Common Strategic Policy 2018–22

Common Strategic Policy 2018-22

Put children first

Protect and  Improve Islanders' value our  wellbeing and

environment mental and

physical health

Create Reduce  a sustainable,

income inequality  vibrant economy

and improve the  and skilled local standard of  workforce for living the future

R.11/2019

Contents

Foreword 3

Common Strategic Policy 2018-22

Council of Ministers

Senator

John Le Fondré

Chief Minister

Senator   Lyndon Farnham

Minister for Economic  Development, Tourism,  Sport and Culture,   Deputy Chief  

Minister

Senator Tracey Vallois

Minister for Education,

Senator Ian Gorst

Minister for External Relations

Deputy Judy Martin

Minister for Social Security

Deputy Susie Pinel

Minister for Treasury and Resources

Deputy Carolyn Labey

Minister for International Development, Assistant Chief Minister

Senator Sam Mézec

Minister for Children and Housing, Assistant Minister for Education

Deputy Richard Renouf

Minister for Health and Social Services

Deputy Kevin Lewis

Minister for Infrastructure

Connétable Len Norman

Minister for Home Affairs

Deputy John Young

Minister for the Environment

Assistant Ministers

Connétable Christopher Taylor

Assistant Chief Minister

Deputy Jeremy Maon

Assistant Minister for Education, Assistant Minister for Health and Social Services, Assistant Minister for Social Security

Deputy

Hugh Raymond

Assistant Minister for Health and Social Services, Assistant Minister for Infrastructure

Connétable Richard Buchanan

Assistant Chief Minister, Assistant Minister for External Relations

Deputy Montfort Tadier

Assistant Minister for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture

Deputy

Geoff Southern

Assistant Minister for Social Security

Senator Steve Pallett

Assistant Minister for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport & Culture Assistant Minister for Health & Social Services

Deputy Gregory Guida

Assistant Minister for the Environment, Assistant Minister for Home Affairs

Deputy Lindsay Ash

Assistant Minister for Treasury and Resources

Foreword

In electing the new States Assembly and Council of Ministers, Jersey has signalled that it wants to see positive change for our Island, building on the best of our past achievements and proud heritage and embracing the opportunities of the future, while protecting us against the risks and threats of our uncertain times.

My Council of Ministers have listened to the views of Islanders during the elections and expressed in the Future Jersey vision. This Common Strategic Policy reflects the issues that matter most to you. It is not a manifesto, nor a detailed plan of activities – that will follow in the Government Plan next year. But this is a statement of our shared ambitions to make the positive difference for Jersey that the electorate has demanded.

This Council of Ministers is a coalition that reaches across the political spectrum and therefore represents our whole Island. Our Common Strategic Policy brings

to life the collective interests that bind us as a government: the desire to make a positive difference during our term of office, leaving Jersey stronger, safer, healthier and more self-confident than when we were elected by our colleagues in June.

It will guide the decisions we make in how we fulfil our obligations to Islanders to make just laws, provide modern essential public services and leave a legacy that will benefit the generations who will follow us. At its heart are five priorities, which Ministers have developed and unanimously agreed should be a beacon for our government. These are:

• We will put children first

• We will improve Islanders' wellbeing and mental and physical health

• We will create a sustainable, vibrant economy and skilled local workforce for the future

• We will reduce income inequality and improve the standard of living

• We will protect and value our environment.

This is a statement of strategic priorities for our whole Island and for our Island's future. It is a statement that will ensure that we cherish what is most precious – our children and our environment; that we improve the inclusivity, health and wellbeing of our Island; and that we build a sustainable platform for our economic future in these uncertain times.

The Council of Ministers are proud that, notwithstanding the political differences

that may exist between us as individuals, as a collective we have come together to create a Common Strategic Policy for the common good. We look forward to working in partnership with States Members and Scrutiny to give effect to this ambition, and to partnering with the Parishes, churches, faith groups, community groups, the third sector, volunteers, businesses, trade unions and key stakeholders in delivering it.

Senator John Le Fondré Chief Minister

Summary

Following an extensive series of workshops, policy groups and challenge-and- review sessions, the Council of Ministers have agreed the following five strategic priorities for our term of office:

• We will put children first by protecting and supporting children, by improving their educational outcomes and by involving and engaging children in decisions that affect their everyday lives.

• We will improve Islanders' wellbeing and mental and physical health by supporting Islanders to live healthier, active, longer lives, improving the quality of and access to mental health services, and by putting patients, families and carers at the heart of Jersey's health and care system.

• We will create a sustainable, vibrant economy and skilled local workforce for the future by delivering an economic framework to improve productivity, by nurturing and strengthening our financial services industry, by enhancing our international profile and promoting our Island identity, by delivering the best outcomes from Brexit, and by improving skills in the local workforce to reduce Jersey's reliance on inward migration.

• We will reduce income inequality and improve the standard of living by improving the quality and affordability of housing, improving social inclusion, and by removing barriers to and at work.

• We will protect and value our environment by embracing environmental innovation and ambition, by protecting the natural environment through conservation, protection, sustainable resource use and demand management, and by improving the built environment, to retain the sense of place, culture and distinctive local identity.

These five strategic priorities are interdependent and mutually supportive. They determine where this Council of Ministers will focus our efforts to deliver significant improvements that will benefit all Islanders, of all ages, backgrounds and circumstances, wherever they live, work and enjoy our unique Island.

But while these priorities provide our government with a clear agenda for progress over our term of office, we will, like our predecessors, continue to discharge our responsibility to deliver the extensive range of day-to-day services across the whole of the public sector on which Islanders depend.

In so doing, however, this government will ensure that those services are appropriate to the needs of our Island, meet standards that Islanders have a right to expect, and that they are affordable, efficient and cost effective.

And as we pursue our five strategic policies, and deliver our essential public services, we will bear in mind eight common themes that have emerged from our work:

• We will enable Islanders to lead active lives and benefit from the arts, culture and heritage

• We will make St Helier a more desirable place to live, work, do business and visit

• We will promote and protect Jersey's interests, profile and reputation internationally

• We will improve transport infrastructure and links

• We will work in partnership with Parishes, churches, faith groups, community groups, the third sector, volunteers, businesses, trade unions and key stakeholders

• We will prepare for more Islanders living longer.

• We will explore and use the opportunities offered by digital

• We will nurture a diverse and inclusive society.

The following five ongoing initiatives will also underpin our delivery of the strategic priorities:

• A new, long-term strategic framework that extends beyond the term of a Council of Ministers

• A States Assembly and Council of Ministers that work together for the common good

• A modern, innovative public sector that meets the needs of Islanders effectively and efficiently

• A sustainable long-term fiscal framework and public finances that make better use of our public assets.

• An electoral system which encourages voter turnout and meets international best practice

The graphic below shows how the five priorities, eight common themes and five ongoing initiatives fit together.

One Government

We will put children first

by protecting and supporting children, by improving their educational outcomes and by involving and engaging children in decisions that affect their everyday lives

We will improve Islanders' wellbeing and mental and physical health

by supporting Islanders to live healthier, active, longer lives, improving the quality of and access to mental health services, and by putting patients, families and carers at the heart of Jersey's health and care system

5 Wwstroeernwkgftiholelrnccinreegfaooturer tfahinesanufcusiattulasirneeravbiclees, invdibusrtaryn, tb ye cenohnaonmcinyg  aonurdinstekrinlaletidonlaol cpraolf ile by delivering an economic framework to improve productivity, by nurturing and

Strategic and promoting our Island identity, by delivering the best outcomes from Brexit, and by Priorities improving skills in the local workforce to reduce Jersey's reliance on inward migration

We will reduce income inequality and improve the standard of living

by improving the quality and affordability of housing, improving social inclusion, and by removing barriers to and at work

We will protect and value our environment

by embracing environmental innovation and ambition, by protecting the natural environment through conservation, protection, sustainable resource use and demand management, and by improving the built environment, to retain the sense of place, culture and distinctive local identity

We will enable Islanders to lead active lives  We will make St Helier a more desirable place and benefit from the arts, culture and heritage to live, work, do business and visit

8 Wproef iwleil lapnrdo mreoptuet aatniodnpirnotetercntaJtieornsaelyly's interests,  We will improve transport infrastructure and links

Common Wcheu rwchillews,ofraki tihn gpraorutnpesr,schoipmwmituhnPitya rgisrohuepss, ,  We will prepare for more Islanders living longer

Themes tthraedteh iurdn isoencst oarn, dv okleuyn tsetearkse,hbouldseinressses,

We will nurture a diverse and inclusive society

We will explore and use the opportunities offered by digital

A States Assembly and Council of Ministers  A new, long-term strategic framework that

5 the needs of Islanders effectively and efficiently public finances that make better use of our that work together for the common good extends beyond the term of a Council of Ministers

A modern, innovative public sector that meets  A sustainable long-term fiscal framework and

Ongoing public assets.

Initiatives An electoral system which encourages voter

turnout and meets international best practice

5 Strategic Priorities

In this section we set out each of the five priorities. We explain why they are important and what we will achieve on each of them during our term of office.

Put children first

Protect and  Improve Islanders' value our  wellbeing and

environment mental and

physical health

Create Reduce  a sustainable,

income inequality  vibrant economy

and improve the  and skilled local standard of  workforce for living the future

We will put children first

We will do this by protecting and supporting children, by improving their educational outcomes and by involving and engaging children in decisions that affect their everyday lives.

Why this is a shared priority

Jersey should become the very best place for children to grow up, and this ambition will inform everything we do as a government.

All children should have an equal opportunity to be safe, flourish and fulfil their potential: they are our Island's future. But at present, children in Jersey do not all

enjoy equal life chances and our Children's Services have been inadequate. We

must address the key factors that can give rise to children's immediate and lifelong experiences of inequality. These include the home learning environment, health

and wellbeing, housing, household income, and education.

We do not accept these limits on children and young people's opportunities and are committed to a progressive approach to achieving equity and fairness through inclusion and equal life chances.

We must also embed our learning from the Care Inquiry, by improving our services

for children, and especially by providing early help, so that problems experienced

by children and families do not escalate to crisis. This not only helps to ensure that

children are growing up in a secure and loving space, but also helps to prevent

costly and more intrusive later interventions. We recognise the critical importance

of children's experiences in the first few years of their lives; this lays the foundation for their future development and can be predictive of future outcomes.

As a government, we should establish a legislative and policy framework, based on children's rights, to create the foundation for a more child-orientated Island. We must also change the culture in the public sector, to ensure that genuine value is placed on children's experiences and that we truly listen, give feedback and,

as appropriate, act upon what they tell us. Our commitment is embodied in the Pledge to Children and Young People that all Ministers have signed.

Where we need to focus our efforts

We will work to ensure that services for children are improved so that children are listened to, are safe, protected and flourish.

We will work to address the underlying causes that contribute to the known gaps in health, wellbeing, and learning and development throughout childhood and adolescence. We will use the latest policy evidence to bring forward approaches that address the barriers that hold some children back throughout their childhood; for example, living in overcrowded or poor quality housing, living in families with low incomes and limited access to primary care services, such as GPs and dentists.

To help us, we will publish a Joint Strategic NeedsAssessment, which identifies priority areas for policy and service development. This will enable us to understand the effectiveness of current and future approaches to achieving our aspiration of equity and fairness for the most vulnerable children.

We will also bring forward plans to incorporate the United Nations Convention on

the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). This is likely to include a scheme that introduces

a Children's Rights Impact Assessment and a comprehensive assessment of the potential impact and benefits associated with direct incorporation of children's rights into Jersey law, as well as training and guidance on the Convention for practitioners working with children and families. As key elements of a wide

legislative programme, we will also set out in law the key functions of government relating to its corporate parenting responsibility, the development and delivery of a shared Children's Plan, and the obligation to provide services where a child is in need'.

We will extend the legal powers and functions of the Children's Commissioner, the Care Commission and the safeguarding arrangements to maintain a focus on children's rights, quality of services for children, standards and performance. As part of the Children Service Improvement Plan, we have begun and will continue to improve the overall quality of care for our most vulnerable children, while building capacity and capability in foster care services and robust support for young people leaving care.

We will develop and work to a common approach to early help across government.

This ethos will inform the delivery of all services for children and families including children's social services, child health and learning. Where challenges and

difficulties continue, we will ensure that there is timely access and referrals to specialist support.

We will also work collaboratively with voluntary organisations to meet the needs of children and young people and ensure seamless transitions through a focus on their outcomes, and not be constrained by our organisational boundaries.

We will start with a focus on children's mental health and wellbeing. Following on

from the 1001 Days Taskforce, we have established a Policy Development Board

for EarlyYears to ensure that all children up to the age of five achieve the best start possible, with the known benefits of high-quality early learning and childcare.

We will work to narrow education attainment gaps providing a strong base for children to achieve their aspirations as they grow.

What we will achieve

As a result of our actions during our term of office, we want all children to:

• Grow up safely, feeling part of a loving family and a community that cares

• Live healthy lives, enjoying the best health and wellbeing possible

• Learn and achieve, by having the best start in life and going on to fulfil their potential

• Be valued and involved in the decisions that affect their everyday lives

• Be able to attend schools that are well-resourced, including good levels

financial headroom so that schools can positively support the achievement of the best outcomes for all children.

We will improve Islanders' wellbeing and mental and physical health

We will do this by supporting Islanders to live healthier, active, longer lives, improving the quality of and access to mental health services, and by putting patients, families and carers at the heart of Jersey's health and care system.

Why this is a shared priority

An increased focus on preventing ill health is vital to ensure that everyone has

the best life chances, achieving good mental and physical wellbeing, and enabling them to live well and age well.This will have benefits for our health and care system, our local economy and for our overall quality of life.

The conditions in which we are born, grow, live, learn and work are crucial in shaping our health outcomes throughout our lives, which means that health must become everyone's business. We must work together across government and within our Island community to build the conditions for improved wellbeing and mental and physical health, and to ensure that this informs our decision making.

Where we need to focus our efforts

We need to support the best start in life for all children. We must build on this foundation to ensure equal access to good health for Islanders at every stage of life, supporting independent living and adding life to years' into older age.

This Council of Ministers will embed health and wellbeing considerations at the heart of all government policy, acknowledging that government action can either narrow or widen the gap in health outcomes between different groups in our population. With investment in sport, culture and the environment and with health as a shared priority, we will strive to create the conditions that enable all Islanders to lead active, healthy lifestyles to support their physical and mental wellbeing.

While prevention is key, mental and physical health and care services must be fit for purpose, support equitable access and be more integrated around the needs

of Islanders. Care must be provided when and where it is needed most, and closer

to people's homes. To do this, we must evolve our health and care system to meet

patients' needs, particularly as more Islanders live longer. This will include testing

new approaches to the delivery of primary health care, with more support within

the community and Parishes, through multidisciplinary teams, community hubs,

and excellent acute care within a new hospital.

Care must be coordinated with strong communication and information sharing for improved continuity across services, centred on what is best for the person, and informed by engagement and customer voice. Growing demand needs to be met through a joined-up, smart, and modern health and care system, based on clinical priorities and new methods of delivering health care, primarily through the

development of eHealth systems and structures.

What we will achieve

As a result of our actions during our term of office, we will:

• Have started and have clear direction for improving the experience of acute mental and physical health care through a new hospital and modern mental health facilities

• Have delivered the majority of recommendations in the Digital Health and Care Strategy

• Have actively engaged GPs and other health professionals in developing and testing new models of health care delivery

• Improve access for vulnerable people, including children and an aging population, to all primary care services, including dentistry, and make it easier and more affordable to use

• Support Islanders in taking part in active travel and lifestyles through improved infrastructure, for example, the cycle network

• Create the conditions which, over the long term, will reduce the most common diseases and preventable death, supporting Islanders to live healthier, active, longer lives.

We will create a sustainable, vibrant economy and skilled local workforce for the future

We will do this by delivering an economic framework to improve productivity, by nurturing and strengthening our financial services industry, by enhancing our international profile and promoting our Island identity, by delivering the best outcomes from Brexit, and by improving skills in the local workforce to reduce Jersey's reliance

on inward migration.

Why this is a shared priority

The prosperity of our Island, and the funding of the services on which we rely, depends on a sustainable, vibrant and inclusive economy, underpinned by a skilled local workforce to serve it.

Jersey has a rich economic history, based on fisheries, agriculture, tourism and the now-dominant financial sector. We have successfully maintained all of these sectors within our economy and must recognise their importance in our shared

history, culture and prosperity.

The financial and professional services sector has been the bedrock of our economy over recent decades. It is vital that we continue to protect and invest

in this sector, understanding the threats and opportunities that the growing

digital revolution offers in areas such asArtificial Intelligence, and ensuring we have the highest possible resilience to protect our industries from Cyber threats

while embracing new opportunities in both long-standing and contemporary economic sectors.

Our economy must be supported if it is to grow, innovate and diversify. We also must stabilise and reverse the recent declines in productivity, because low productivity impacts our economic competitiveness, earnings and Islanders' quality of life. A key way we can achieve this is in proactive and positive investment in our digital capabilities and skills.

The uncertain impact of Brexit remains the biggest immediate challenge for our

Island's economy, but it also provides an opportunity to refocus internationally by promoting Jersey on the international stage, as a safe, stable and secure business centre, with a supportive regulatory environment, a beautiful Island to live in

and visit, with an advanced digital infrastructure and the flexibility to adapt and innovate, and as a source of investment, expertise and philanthropy for other

parts of the world.

Whatever the outcome of Brexit, the UK is and will remain our most important economic partner. It is vital that we maintain and build upon our close and longstanding relationship with the UK, as well as exploring opportunities to work together to seize new opportunities, for the benefit of us both.

At the same time, while the UK may be leaving the EU, our geographical proximity and varied economic links mean that maintaining positive relations with the EU institutions and nations, including our nearest neighbour, France, will continue to be crucial.

Skills and education remain core to both driving productivity and developing a

workforce fit for the Island's future needs. With the onset of the fourth industrial revolution, the pace of change will quicken and timely access to skills training

will improve the quality of Islanders' lives and their local employment

opportunities. It will also help the government to control migration and manage

the pressures that this brings on housing, infrastructure and services. As the

population ages, economic enablers such as skills training and lifelong learning

will also be ever more important.

Where we need to focus our efforts

We will urgently develop a comprehensive economic framework that will deliver

the economic evidence to assess and prioritise how and when we act. We

will work with all sectors of the economy to understand their long-term policy,

legislative and resource needs, and we will collaborate with partners to design

and implement economic development policies. This will support government in

pursuing inclusive opportunities that create the most benefit for people and the Island as a whole.

We will ensure that Jersey's infrastructure is fit for our future needs – including public buildings, public estate that supports sporting and cultural facilities, utilities

and the digital environment. This will include investing in St Helier to make it a

more desirable place to live, work, do business and visit. To enable this, we will

align the economic framework to an investment framework. We will also consider

creating an investment fund to support the delivery of the economic

and investment framework.

We will continue to protect and build on our financial services industry, ensuring that it positively adapts to change and remains at the centre of our economy.

We will deliver and evolve the Financial Services Policy Framework and Digital

Policy Framework to ensure that our policy capabilities and industry engagement

support the continued growth of these sectors and our aspirations for a more

digital society.

We will maximise the positive outcomes from Brexit and anticipate the risks.

We will expand Jersey's positive international reputation and promote our Island

identity beyond financial services. Our international reputation should reflect the richness and diversity of our Island's talents and the many ways that we act as

a responsible global citizen, such as through the work of Jersey Overseas Aid,

as well as facilitating international commerce and investment. We will strengthen international relationships by delivering on our global markets strategy and by

promoting the international ties established by Jersey Overseas Aid.

We will continue to invest in maintaining a close and productive relationship with the UK, our most important economic partner, as well as with the EU nations and institutions.

We will establish a Policy Development Board to develop an agreed population and migration policy that balances population pressures against economic and environmental needs.

We will improve education and skills in the Island, to deliver a skilled local workforce for the future. We will reduce education attainment gaps and recognise the value of and expand vocational qualifications.

This will be supported by proposals for a higher education centre of excellence

and student campus fit to deliver both the academic and vocational skills'needs

of the Island – including digital, finance, innovation, tourism and hospitality, marine and renewable energy technology, and creative industries.

This will also allow us to develop and promote Jersey internationally as a centre of higher education excellence, and a safe and beautiful place where local and international students will wish to study, increasing the contribution that the higher education sector makes to the economy. This will also partly address the diaspora of young Jersey people leaving the Island to meet their educational aspirations and not returning until later in their careers to contribute to the Island economy.

What we will achieve

As a result of our actions during our term of office, we will:

• Improve Jersey's economic performance

• Support and strengthen our financial services sector

• Support and strengthen our tourism industry

• Maintain tax neutrality

• Deliver our Global Markets Strategy

• Continue to diversify our economy, including ongoing support for our digital sector and the development of our philanthropic sector

• Be outward facing and promote Jersey on the international stage

• Engage internationally and strengthen our reputation

• Continue to develop positive relations with the UK Government, Parliamentarians and other UK stakeholders

• Build on our existing engagement programme with EU institutions and nations, including our nearest neighbour, France

• Develop and negotiate a suite of international agreements to underpin opportunities in new international markets, as well as to maintain existing business flows

• Ensure that Jersey's public estate infrastructure is fit for the future and that St Helier is a more desirable place to live, work, do business and visit

• Increase the skills of our workforce with an enhanced focus on digital

• Enhance our resilience in Cyber Security

• Improve productivity to reduce population pressures

• Develop and implement a comprehensive migration and population policy.

We will reduce income inequality and improve the standard of living

We will do this by improving the quality and affordability of housing, improving social inclusion, and by removing barriers to and at work.

Why this is a shared priority

Our average income per person is high, but this hides large gaps between the highest and lowest earners. There is concern about growing levels of income inequality and the negative effect this will have on our community and economy.

Poor housing can have a negative impact on health and education outcomes.

Many migrant families live in overcrowded conditions, while home ownership is

increasingly out of reach of local families with average incomes. The high cost of

housing can make it difficult to attract health and education professionals to move to Jersey.

Jersey offers great opportunities for getting involved in cultural, social and sporting activities and for having a say in the community through joining local groups and taking part in elections. But we know that not everyone can take part fully in Jersey life and make the most of those opportunities. OIder people and disabled people are especially vulnerable to loneliness and social exclusion, while others are isolated through language or culture.

Having a job and reliable income is important for people's wellbeing and

contributes to our Island economy, but not everyone can get a suitable job and

some workers find the wages from their full-time job are not enough to meet their living costs. Others don't have the security of a permanent contract or fixed hours every week.

Where we need to focus our efforts

We will work towards a fair balance between wages, taxes and benefits, rents and living costs, enabling Islanders to achieve a decent standard of living and

have secure incomes into older age; for example, through meaningful increases

on minimum wage, together with supporting mechanisms to increase productivity

in specific affected sectors.

We will consider whether the Fiscal Strategy and Fiscal Framework need

refreshing. In particular, we will consult on the future of the personal tax system

and conclude the current review of the Social Security scheme, which is

examining contribution rates, old age pensions and working age contributory

benefits. We will also consider the interaction between personal income tax and social security benefits.

We need to secure a consistent supply of good-quality homes that are affordable to local families, improve the quality of rented homes and strengthen the rights of tenants. We will establish a Policy Development Board that will take a long-term view of how we can create sustainable and affordable housing provision for the next generation to meet the aspirations of our young people.

We need to create a society where everyone has opportunities, helping people to participate to meet their potential and to improve their quality of life. We will implement the Disability Strategy, clarify rights for newly-arrived residents within a new population and migration policy, and improve citizenship education. We will work with Parishes and local community groups to reduce social isolation and loneliness.

We will help people to gain the skills they need to secure jobs that pay enough to thrive, and support a labour market that provides good quality jobs, removing the barriers to and at work and improving employee rights.

What we will achieve

As a result of our actions during our term of office, we will:

• Reduce levels of people living in relative low income

• Deliver affordable and good quality housing

• Work towards a society where everyone has opportunities, helping people to participate

• Achieve a fair balance between wages, taxes and benefits, rents and living costs

• Achieve a labour market that provides good-quality jobs, removing barriers to and at work.

We will protect and value our environment

We will do this by embracing environmental innovation and ambition, by protecting the natural environment through conservation, protection, sustainable resource use and demand management, and by improving the built environment, to retain the sense of place, culture and distinctive local identity.

Why this is a shared priority

Clean air and water, protecting the Island's natural resources and managing

its waste are vital to our physical and mental health, to our quality of life and to active living into old age. Local biodiversity, heritage and landscape character are internationally recognised and a reason why talented people choose to live and do business in Jersey. Secure and affordable energy supplies underpin our economy and social equity. The public clearly recognises and values the environment, as evidenced by the Future Jersey responses. We must also demonstrate to global partners that we take our global environmental responsibilities seriously.

Without interventions to manage and protect the environment in the face of these challenges, at best our Island would look and feel very different. At worst, we could suffer negative physical and mental health impacts and lose one of Jersey's biggest selling points.

The interactions and interrelationships within our environment are complex

and play out over long periods, and they do not necessarily respond quickly to

positive interventions, so we will need to make policy interventions that will have

benefits over generations, and not just for the short term. Many jurisdictions are creating a Smart Island strategy that utilises the Internet of Things and other digital innovations to enhance their built environments, we will look to create our own

strategy setting out where we can use technology to best support our island.

Where we need to focus our efforts

The challenge is to achieve our ambition in the context of good growth' that is socially responsible and balances the challenges of an increasing population, which puts pressure on resources, including more severe competition for the use of a limited amount of land, generates more travel, and reduces the life span of critical infrastructure.

We need to design and deliver great liveable communities' where everyone has access to high-quality and affordable accommodation, open and play space, and active travel and transport networks, in order to achieve a vibrant, inclusive and healthy Island.

We must also account for significant potential negative external factors. Global climate change is a direct threat to Jersey, because our most populated residential

and business areas are at sea level. Changing global energy markets are another

threat, because Jersey imports 97% of our energy, which has implications for our long-term energy security. We will explore the role that renewable energy can play in Jersey's future with the intention of creating a more sustainable energy supply.

We must meet increasing global standards and best environmental practices in order to maintain export markets in agriculture and aquaculture, particularly in the light of the UK exiting the EU.

We must transition to a sustainable rural economy model, which delivers crop and land-use diversification.

What we will achieve

As a result of our actions during our term of office, we will:

• Agree a new and ambitious Island Plan for the benefit of future generations

• Establish our policy on renewable energy at the utility and domestic scale, with the intention of creating a more sustainable energy supply

• Produce an ambitious sustainable transport plan including external links

• Begin to transition to a sustainable rural economy model, which delivers crop and land use diversification

• Continue to improve water quality

• Decrease the amount of waste we produce, especially plastics

• Review options for a coordinated and consistent Island-wide recycling programme

• Protect special areas of coast and countryside and improve our stewardship of these areas, improving abundance of key indicator species

• Protect and increase biodiversity

• Improve access to open and green space for a variety of users, which will improve health and mental wellbeing, and benefit early years development and educational achievement and attainment

• Ensure purpose-built youth facilities are created in the north of St. Helier , in close proximity to new housing developments at Millennium Park and Anne Court

• Produce an asset management plan that considers the use of our public asset/land portfolio and ensures appropriate investment in critical infrastructure, like coastal defences, highways and our sewerage system.

• Creation of a Jersey Smart Island Strategy to enhance our built environment.

8 Common Themes

As we pursue our five strategic policies, and deliver our essential public services, we will bear in mind eight common themes that have emerged from our work.

Delivering improvements in respect of each of these themes has an important role to play in the delivery of the strategic priorities.

We will enable Islanders to lead active lives and benefit from the arts, culture and heritage

Islanders have expressed the importance to them of active lives, through sport

or other active pastimes, the arts, culture and heritage. Enabling Islanders to

lead active lives and benefit from the arts, culture and heritage will support us in:

• Putting children first

• Creating a sustainable, vibrant economy and skilled local workforce for the future

• Protecting and valuing our environment

• Improving Islanders' wellbeing and mental and physical health.

We will make St Helier a more desirable place to live, work, do business and visit

St Helier is the powerhouse of our economy. It houses nearly a third of our population and it is the focus of the day for many Islanders and visitors alike. It is vital that St Helier is redeveloped and revitalised in order to make it a more desirable place to live, work, do business and visit. Doing so will support us in:

• Creating a sustainable, vibrant economy and skilled local workforce for the future

• Reducing income inequality and improving the standard of living

• Protecting and valuing our environment

• Improving Islanders' wellbeing and mental and physical health.

We will promote and protect Jersey's interests, profile and reputation internationally

In these uncertain times it is more important than ever that our interests are understood and proactively protected, not just in the UK, but also in the EU and internationally.

A growing international profile brings with it increased interest in our standards and values as a jurisdiction and as a modern democracy. Protecting our

reputation requires that we are able to demonstrate that we meet international

standards.

Promoting and protecting Jersey's interests, profile and reputation primarily engages the following strategic priorities:

• Putting children first

• Creating a sustainable, vibrant economy and skilled local workforce for the future

• Reducing income inequality and improving the standard of living

• Protecting and valuing our environment.

We will improve transport infrastructure and links

Our roads, cycle, foot and bridle paths enable Islanders and visitors to get around our beautiful Island, to exercise and to get to and from work. Our transport links with the outside world allow us to trade, to travel and for visitors to have easy access to our attractions and economy.

Keeping the Island moving by improving the Island's transport infrastructure and links will assist with:

• Creating a sustainable, vibrant economy and skilled local workforce for the future

• Protecting and valuing our environment

• Improving Islanders' wellbeing and mental and physical health.

We will work in partnership with Parishes, churches, faith groups, community groups, the third sector, volunteers, businesses, trade unions and key stakeholders

Jersey has a proud history of volunteering, both within the Parishes and the third sector and also through churches and other community groups. Many Islanders, from all backgrounds, provide freely of their time to serve our community.

We must work in close partnership with the Parishes, churches, faith groups, community groups, the third sector, volunteers, businesses, trade unions and key stakeholders in developing and implementing actions if we are to deliver better outcomes for Islanders, particularly in respect of:

• Putting children first

• Reducing income inequality and improving the standard of living

• Protecting and valuing our environment

• Improving Islanders' wellbeing and mental and physical health

• Working to achieve fairness in the delivery of services to the Public which does not disadvantage St. Helier ratepayers when compared with the ratepayers of other parishes.

We will prepare for more Islanders living longer

As more Islanders live longer and the balance between working age and the non-working age population changes, the Island will face both challenges and opportunities. These challenges and opportunities must be a key consideration when designing and delivering the following strategic priorities:

• Creating a sustainable, vibrant economy and skilled local workforce for the future

• Reducing income inequality and improving the standard of living

• Protecting and valuing our environment

We will explore and use the opportunities offered by digital

While the pace of technological change accelerates, the objectives and principles that follow will determine our approach for the next 4 to 10 years:

• Preparing children for the future

• Shape an attractive business environment to deliver jobs and growth

• Deliver more efficient public services to improve health and wellbeing

• Help Islanders to learn and grow by providing digital skills for all.

We will nurture a diverse and inclusive society

We are a diverse community made up of different nationalities, ages and genders. Sometimes these differences act as barriers to participating in society. As a Government we will work to remove barriers and promote inclusion and equal opportunity for all. This includes supporting inclusive communities, encouraging greater diversity in boardrooms and in the Assembly, and ensuring people with disabilities and older people are able to better participate in society. This common theme will be considered in the delivery of each of our strategic priorities, but particularly –

• Putting children first

• Reducing income inequality and improving the standard of living

• Improving Islanders' well-being and mental and physical health

• Create a sustainable, vibrant economy and skilled local workforce for the future.

5 Ongoing Initiatives

A new long-term strategic framework that extends beyond the term of a Council of Ministers

The Common Strategic Policy is not a statement of everything that government does or will do. Nor is it a detailed plan for how the public service will deliver the work of government. This Common Strategic Policy sets the priorities for the current government term, and it is an important part of a new, long-term strategic framework for Jersey, which will ensure a sustainable society, underpinned by a sustainable economy and delivered by a strong partnership between a modern government, responsible business and Islanders.

The detailed actions that flow from the strategic priorities will be outlined in other documents, which, alongside the Common Strategic Policy, make up the new,

long-term strategic framework. These are:

• Common Strategic Policy 2018-22

• Government Plan (Medium-Term Plan) 2020-23

• Island Plan 2021-30

• Future Jersey – the Island's 20-year community vision.

A States Assembly and Council of Ministers that works together for the common good

This Council of Ministers is committed to working more effectively with the States Assembly to deliver better outcomes for Islanders. How we achieve this will be developed by working with the States Assembly over the coming months, but we envisage that this will include improving: the way in which we work with Scrutiny; the way in which we develop policy, such as through the new Policy Development Boards; how we secure improved resources for non-executive States Members; the way in which we engage the Public in the work of the States Assembly and better communication and consultation with the States Assembly. We support

the work of PPC in working towards an electoral system that provides a fairer representation to voters across the Island.

A modern, innovative public sector that meets the needs of Islanders effectively and efficiently

The ambitious and systemic restructuring of the public sector as set out in the Team Jersey: One Island, One Community, One Government, One Future' strategy is well underway, with the restructuring element to be delivered by March 2019.

This strategy has at its heart the responsibility of the administrative arm of government to organise itself and its activities so that it can discharge its duties

efficiently, affordably and effectively and in an open, transparent and accountable way – to Ministers, to the States Assembly and to the public it serves. A modern

public sector is essential if the government's and Islanders' ambitions are to be

fulfilled.

In addition, the establishment of a Channel Island Public Services Board gives a real opportunity to work with Guernsey, to make the most of areas in which we can be stronger and better together.

A sustainable long-term fiscal framework and public finances to make better use of our public assets

As part of the modernised public sector, a far-reaching programme is also in

progress to strengthen the long-term management of public finances and assets, including an improvement plan for the States'finance function.

A review of the finance function commissioned by the Chief Executive, which was supplemented by an external review of the maturity of financial management, has resulted in proposals to restructure the finance function into a single department, to improve processes and to deliver a new Public Finances Law, which is expected

to be lodged in early 2019.

We will consider whether the Fiscal Strategy and Fiscal Framework need refreshing as part of the changes being introduced. In particular, we will consult on the future of the personal tax system and conclude the current review of the Social Security schemes. We will also implement important changes over the next two years into how we collect and process taxes, with new online services for the public and businesses, and a new digital revenue management system.

Taken together, these changes will ensure a long-term strategic approach to

managing the Island's finances. We will focus on managing the balance sheet' for public money and assets, building upon the strength of that balance sheet. We

will make sure that all new spending is subject to robust business case approval

and that we are able to demonstrate the value for money achieved from existing spending, including driving best value from our contracts with suppliers.

An electoral system which encourages voter turnout and meets international best practice

This Council of Ministers is committed to supporting the work of the Privileges and Procedures Committee (PPC) to respond to the report of the 2018 election observers. In particular, we will work with PPC and the States Greffe to introduce a more user-friendly system for electoral registration; to increase the diversity

of candidates standing for election and to provide them with more assistance to stand; to identify and address the principal barriers to higher election turnout; and to invite election observers at the 2022 election.