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2.5 Deputy G.C.L. Baudains of St. Clement of the Chief Minister regarding the progress of the proposed departmental restructuring:
Would the Chief Minister update Members on the progress of the proposed departmental restructuring and of the present membership of the working party responsible for this?
Senator I.J. Gorst (The Chief Minister):
I believe the Deputy is referring to the reform agenda which is focused on 3 key areas: service redesign, workforce modernisation and cultural change. The key area of activity in service redesign is currently around mapping and scoping out front office activities, looking at areas where we can introduce digital technology to support service redesign which will in turn deliver improved services to the people of Jersey. Workforce modernisation is focused on creating a common baseline. Cultural change is currently focused on developing a leadership programme and looking at a performance management system which enables the creation of a delivery culture within the States of Jersey. The setting up of a political oversight group is my priority for the Christmas recess.
- Deputy G.C.L. Baudains:
I am somewhat disappointed by the Chief Minister's reply. It does seem to me that he is suggesting all systems as usual. What I would like to know is will he be seeking to reorganise the present departmental structure or, as it seems, simply modifying it slightly? In other words, would he be starting from a clean sheet, including a fundamental review of what services the States should be providing, and by whom?
Senator I.J. Gorst :
That is indeed part of the service redesign process but it is important first of all that we understand the services that we are providing and the way that we are interacting with the public prior to drawing conclusions about what that might look like in the future. The Deputy knows that in some respects, some work programmes already in place will mean that there will be coming together of departments. We need to understand the place in future for the Housing Department if we accept the Housing Transformation Programme with the Strategic Housing Unit sitting in the Chief Minister's Department. We know also that Treasury and Social Security have started to work more closely together and it is important that we do not, at this stage, decide where the end of that is.
- Deputy R.G. Le Hérissier:
There are 2 parts. Would the Chief Minister acknowledge that the Modern Manager Programme which was part of government modernisation for so many years and was meant to provide the whole basis for succession planning has not worked? Secondly, will the new Organisation Performance Director be on a payment by results basis?
Senator I.J. Gorst :
I disagree with the Deputy with regard to the Modern Manager Programme. I believe that it is one of the great success stories and we have got people who have been on the Modern Manager Programme right across our organisation itching to change and to deliver change. I think it is only fair that I say that I believe that there perhaps have been some blockages to that change and this programme is about ensuring that every manager and senior manager as well is inspired in the same way as that programme has inspired junior and middle managers. I am not aware that the new organisational change individual is on a performance-based pay structure. That is something that the States Employment Board has considered but we are very firmly of the view that it should not just be one sector or one individual. If we are going to do that - and we are far from convinced at this stage that we should do that - it would have to be right across the board.
- Deputy R.G. Le Hérissier:
Could the Chief Minister define where the blockages are? Senator I.J. Gorst :
I thought that is what the Deputy was going to say. I think I can simply say that I believe that there are and I do not want to go into further detail. That is what this process is about; trying to ensure that they are moved on and change is delivered and not stopped.
- Deputy G.C.L. Baudains:
I am beginning to suspect that the blockages are in the Chief Minister's Department, with due respect to the Chief Minister himself. I am not sure that I appreciate from his answers this morning that we are going in the right direction so I am going to ask him if he would be so kind as to prepare a short paper for Members to tell us exactly what he is doing and where he is at the present time. Because I was expecting when he was undertaking this review that we would be starting from a blank sheet and it seems to me all we are doing is fine-tuning something which does not work particularly well at the moment.
Senator I.J. Gorst :
I am more than happy to provide such a paper and to hold another briefing but I can assure the Deputy that it is neither starting entirely with a blank sheet but we must ask the questions that I know that the Deputy wants to be asked so I am quite happy to do that.