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STATEMENT TO BE MADE BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC SERVICES COMMITTEE ON 29TH APRIL 2003
When I was elected as President of the Environment and Public Services Committee, I undertook to report back to the States by Easter time on progress being made with implementing the changes required in the organisational structure of the Public Services and Planning and Environment Departments under the Machinery of Government Reforms set out in P.70/2002. The Environment and Public Services Committee set key milestone dates of 1st April, 1st July, 1st October 2003, and the 1st January 2004, for both Departments to report on progress and for agreed changes to take effect administratively. I am pleased to advise Members that the Committee has made good progress in the first quarter.
The first area we addressed was the need to separate the Poacher – Gamekeeper' roles in relation to the Public Services Department's administration of legislation related to Water Resources. As part of the Departmental reorganisation plan, the staffs, resources and responsibilities of the Water Resource Section of Public Services, acting as Regulator, were transferred to the Environmental Services Section of the Planning and Environment Department on 1st April 2003. This has been accompanied with delegation of relevant powers to appropriate officers. This change in reporting line provides proper safeguards and ensures a clarity of role and a much improved separation between the Regulator Department (Planning and Environment) and Operator Department (Public Services).
The second area of change is where the two Departments require greater clarity of roles and closer policy integration for example, waste, transport, energy, and urban policy. The very small number of professional staff presently working within these areas means that it has proved neither sensible nor economic to transfer existing people between the two Departments. However, some progress has been made in working towards two new functional roles which anticipate the formation of the two ministries, one of which combines policy development with advice and regulation, and the other which comprises the separate role of Operations, both functional roles being achieved by introducing changes to accountabilities and reporting which will take a little time to formulate.
The third area of change concerns external reorganisation which impacts upon the two Departments. Following the recent announcement by the Economic Development Committee concerning the review of functions within the Agriculture and Fisheries Department, the Chief Officers from the Economic Development, Public Services and Planning and Environment Departments have been meeting on a regular basis with the senior staff at Howard Davis Farm to review the present services and consider an appropriate transfer of functions. They have undertaken to report monthly to both Committees as they develop an overall Implementation Plan for joint consideration by the respective Committees hopefully with effect from 1st July 2003.
In the fourth area of change there is significant progress towards new arrangements for the management of States Property. The Chief Officer of Planning and Environment Department, the Director of Property Services and senior Public Services officers are working closely together with the Treasurer of the States and other officers from the Treasury to progress the fundamental principle embodied in the changes agreed by the States for the Machinery of Government i.e. the establishment of a single States landlord (corporate role) for all States property separate from the existing operational role, the latter which includes all property maintenance. This fundamental change, when fully implemented, will result in the maintenance of the States property asset base of £2 billion being managed in a more co-ordinated and cost effective manner across all States functions and can be expected to bring major long- term benefits.
The President of the Finance and Economics Committee and I are aiming for the new corporate landlord' function to be established at the earliest possible date, hopefully by 1st July 2003, but only once a number of important issues including the resources available for this new role are resolved. We will make a further report to the States by 1st July 2003, on this matter.
These are all major changes and I request Members to allow us all time for these plans to develop and to allow Mr. Bill Ogley, the States Chief Executive and Head of the Public Service, to take up office as he will wish to ensure these plans dovetail with the future Executive Management arrangements across the States.
I would like to take the opportunity to record my thanks to all our staff and Committee members for their cooperation in these changing times and wish to ensure everyone involved that there will continue to be full consultation when any changes are being considered ahead of implementation.