Curbing growth of Public Sector: end-to-end review of Government processes
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STATES OF JERSEY
CURBING GROWTH OF PUBLIC SECTOR: END-TO-END REVIEW OF GOVERNMENT PROCESSES
Lodged au Greffe on 12th February 2026 by Deputy M.R. Scott of St. Brelade Earliest date for debate: 10th March 2026
STATES GREFFE
2026 P.44
PROPOSITION
THE STATES are asked to decide whether they are of opinion
to request the Chief Minister to commission an end-to-end holistic review by the Chief Executive Officer of executive Government processes, including –
- pay and management structures; and
- performance frameworks;
such review to supplement the proposals for curbing public sector growth scheduled to be published by the Government of Jersey's Chief Executive Officer in February 2026, and to inform the next Council of Ministers and the Budget (Government Plan) 2027-2030.
DEPUTY M.R. SCOTT OF ST. BRELADE
REPORT
The Chief Minister has initiated a number of workshops with States Members in which the need to curb growth in the public sector has been highlighted. Publicly, the Government of Jersey Chief Executive Officer (CEO) has expressed the concern that government is doing too much'.
The reform of executive government largely is an operational matter within the remit of the Chief Executive Officer of the Government of Jersey that is relevant to the delivery of policy and public services.
One element of doing too much' is the amount of policy work that executive officers are being asked to deliver, in which States Members have a role to play. Another element is process-driven: the way in which policies and service are being delivered within the public sector.
It has been reported that concrete proposals would be brought to States Members early next year' and that the CEO's recommendations to resize' the public sector will be presented to States Members at a workshop in February. Supporting work has focussed on organisational and structural changes to achieve organisational efficiencies.
In carrying out an end to end review it is anticipated that the Chief Executive would be able to build upon a former bottom up (MoSCoW)[1] review (which essentially considers what should be done through prioritisation) - and a more recent top end' review conducted by policy officers, while drawing on audit findings by the Comptroller & Auditor General. The redesign of organisational processes across the organisation can help empower Government employees who may be disproportionately constrained by internal organisational red tape and excessive layers of management.
A number of States Members stood in the 2022 elections on platforms that sought to initiate or support measures to curb public sector growth. This Proposition provides an opportunity for States Members to express support for further work to inform the next Council of Ministers and the next budget.
Financial and staffing implications
It is not anticipated that it will be necessary for the Chief Executive to engage external consultants for the work. It is likely that the Chief Executive would need to target specific processes for improvement (for example within tax/revenue, payroll, performance management, financial planning and reporting, general approval processes across Government, travel booking, project business case development work and lack of enabling tools) and project manage accordingly. These areas often are encumbered by poor process design and current weak use of information technology systems /tools. Simplifying processes should simplify their digitalisation.
The staffing time required for consulting with staff and producing the report should remain within existing budgets.
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As this work would involve an element of planning and prioritisation decisions to be made by the Chief Executive, it is not possible to quantity the associated costs of implementing those decisions.
It would be for the Chief Executive to determine whether a broad and holistic review across government would require a current or new leadership role to oversee and direct the holistic end-to-end review process to ensure continued focus and overcome the predictable blockers, barriers and general resistance to change in these types of reviews. Alternatively, or additionally, any successor to the Chief Executive might be required to have direct experience of holistic end-to-end reviews.
Children's Rights Impact Assessment
I consider that this proposition has no direct or indirect impact on children and that the duty to have due regard to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child does not arise. Accordingly, a Children's Rights Impact Assessment is not required under the Children (Convention Rights) (Jersey) Law 2022.