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2.1 Senator S.C. Ferguson of the Chief Minister regarding the establishment of suggestion schemes:
Given that the Annual Business Plan 2010 required all departments to set up suggestion schemes, will the Chief Minister explain what actions, if any, have been taken to implement this requirement?
Senator T.A. Le Sueur (The Chief Minister):
A number of suggestion schemes have been set up within departments. For example, Health and Social Services have set up a suggestion scheme to encourage staff to raise suggestions about how to do things differently, as well as efficiency ideas for the Comprehensive Spending Review. About 70 suggestions have been received so far. Transport and Technical Services have encouraged staff to come forward with suggestions and shared them with their Savings Review Group. They have published a newsletter which includes all the ideas and a preliminary response about the way to take each one forward. The States of Jersey Police currently have an intranet-based suggestions board and suggestion boxes. They estimate that 50 suggestions have been received in the last year. In addition, there are other subjects for discussion forums. The Fire and Rescue Service has a practitioner's forum which meets quarterly to consider proposals for improving service delivery. Planning and Environment have had "Ask Andy" sessions where the Comprehensive Spending Review has been discussed and sessions where the C.S.R. (Comprehensive Spending Review) was the main topic. Additionally, the Chief Officer has sent various emails and messages inviting conversations and suggestions. Social Security has set up a C.S.R. suggestions mailbox and has had a range of suggestions for service and staff savings. Finally, the C.S.R. team have set up a direct email link from the C.S.R. intranet site for staff to email suggestions and these are being evaluated.
- Senator S.C. Ferguson:
Is there any facility for these to be anonymous suggestions, as they would normally be, and is there any facility for awarding rewards for good suggestions that are taken on board in any of these departments? Although these are not all schemes, we seem to have missed a number of departments like Education and so forth. When will the Ministers ... I have 3 questions there, I am sorry. Monetary rewards and when the proper scheme will be operational throughout the States.
Senator T.A. Le Sueur :
Firstly, they can be anonymised through the intranet emails links. As far as rewards are concerned, there is no reason to preclude rewards but they are not specifically put out as an incentive to provoke requests. As far as other departments are concerned in bringing it all together, there will be different ways of doing these things, some of which may suit one department more than another. We can learn from the process that we have had so far and see what is the best way of doing this on a uniform, co- ordinated basis for the future.
- Deputy G.P. Southern of St. Helier :
From the extensive list and use of suggestion boxes supplied by the Minister, can I
ask whether he has replaced consultation - full and meaningful consultation - with
employee representatives over the C.S.R. with a series of suggestion boxes and invites for suggestions?
Senator T.A. Le Sueur :
No, Sir.