States Assembly | Research - Survey of Public Perception of the Government Plan 2022-25

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Government Plan 2022-25 Review Survey

Introduction

The Government Plan Review Panel conducted an online survey in order to gain public perceptions of the Government Plan 2022-25.

The Survey ran from 8 November to 23 November 2021 and was promoted via the States Assembly social media channels and meet and greet public sessions run by the Panel.

As non-probability (voluntary) sampling was used there is difficulty in identifying sampling error, bias and non-response rate. As such the research cannot be seen as statistically representative, however it is still a useful tool in allowing the public to share their views.

188 responses were received, of these 39 were completed questionnaires and 149 were partial. Following data case cleaning (removal of cases in which no answers were given) 36 partial responses were included in the survey results.

As such, in total there were 75 responses to the survey. Explanation text was included at relevant points to aid respondents:

Scrutiny is undertaking a review of the Government Plan 2022-25 and would like to hear your views about Government spending on public services, tax allowances and increases.

The role of Scrutiny is to examine and investigate the work of the Government of Jersey by

carrying out reviews on behalf of the States Assembly. The full terms of reference of the

Government Plan 2022-25 Reviews by the Scrutiny Panels can be found on the assembly

This survey should take no longer than 15 minutes. Your answers will be anonymous as will any individual comments published as a result of the survey. Information will be held in accordance with the Data Protection (Jersey) Law 2018 and will only be used for the purpose of this scrutiny survey.

If you have any queries about the survey or need more information, please write to Scrutiny@gov.je and we will respond as soon as we can.

Scrutiny is keen to hear views from everyone. If you are under the age of 16 but would like to part, please seek the permission of a guardian and contact us via email – Scrutiny@gov.je

Knowledge of the Government Plan

1. Do you know what the Government Plan is?

Response Response Answer Choices

Percent Total

1. Do you know what the Government Plan is?

1 Yes 64.00% 48 2 No 18.67% 14 3 Not sure 17.33% 13 answered 75

skipped 0


2. Have you read the Government Plan 2022 to 2025?

Answer Choices		Response Percent	Response Total
1	Yes - fully	13.33%	10
2	Yes - partly	40.00%	30
3	No	46.67%	35
		answered	75
		skipped	0


3. If you haven't read the Government Plan, which of the following reasons apply? Able to multi tick

Answer Choices			Response Percent	Response Total
1	Not heard of it		24.44%	11
2	Not had time		42.22%	19
3	Not been able to find it		24.44%	11
4	Not relevant to me		2.22%	1
5	Don't know		4.44%	2
6	Other (please specify):		20.00%	9
			answered	45
			skipped	30

Other (please specify): (9)

1 2 3 4 5 6		fantasy
		Not user friendly to read and understand for a "normal" Jersey resident.
		I have not received my copy from the Government

		Not readily accessible. Should be posted to each household
		It will only be a bunch of lies that they won't keep to.

If you haven't read the Government Plan, which of the following reasons apply? Able to multi tick

7 First chapter took forever to get into the jargon and mindset

8 Have read some of it

9 Have perused the doc but can I believe it will happen? We read and hear lots of words but results

are what we neec


4. What do you understand to be the purpose of the Government Plan?

Answer Choices			Response Percent	Response Total
1	Open-Ended Question		100.00%	60
	1	It is a combination of a 1 year budget, a 4 year strategic spending plan and an attempt to realise the CSP.
	2	Whatever they say is not what they will do so no point in even spending time reading it
	3	To make a bloody mess
	4	To have identified what resources are needed, the cost of providing services to the public. To have planned what will need to be worked on during the plan for further years.
	5	Outline the way the government are going to destroy the island with their silly ideas
	6	To set priority To budget these priorities
	7	Sets out government priorities and projects and how tax payer funds will be spent (or saved!)
	8	Sets out spending priority for the next three years.
	9	My view is a tick box exercise for things the people don't want and for the secret group of Politian's want and take their back handers. The peoples needs are just dismissed
	10	To effectively plan expenditure and budgets
	11	Vaguely.
	12	To priories specific areas in the island
	13	To foresee the future based on very little, if any real facts, figures, statistics etc. To follow the advice of a very few unqualified individuals who no doubt have their own agenda.
	14	The future of Jersey!
	15	Planning for the future of the island
	16	The current government spending and tax plans for the next few years by setting targets and goals for government policy. Is also allegedly the political manifesto of the 'Alliance' party.
	17	To keep the books balanced and do what is in the best interest of jersey
	18	Government spending endless money, gives the impression limitless budgets, and when projects fail the solution is to throw money at them. There needs to be strong accountability as there have been so many high level fails.
	19	Plan for how the island develops over next few years
	20	To govern how buildings will be built over the term of the plan
	21	All of it
	22	It's the Jersey Alliance Parties Manifesto, so why is scrutiny reviewing it? Are they reviewing all party manifestos?

What do you understand to be the purpose of the Government Plan?

23 To set out financial plans and investments of all type for the coming years. 24 To drive policy for the next 3 years

25 Sets out the strategic priorities for the Island and how going to tackle them. 26 Set targets and spending priorities

27 Balance finances to account for losses during pandemic

Set priorities for revenue raising and expenditure

28 To set spending and policy

29 The purpose of the Government Plan is to allow middle-management civil servants to justify their

existence when most of them are jobsworths.

30 It is the balance sheet of the islands finances. Covers what projects are coming up and need to be budgeted for. Includes the Ministers promises of what the will do for the island (Ha ha)

31 To outline income and expenditure decisions as well as outline the policy for government during

the term of the plan.

32 No idea

33 Planning for the future requirements of the Jersey population & the finance required

34 An overall strategy document to direct action over the period

35 To set out the Goverment's strategy behind their spending plans

36 To set the Government's agenda and spending.

37 To decide how much money is spent and what it is spent on. Also to decide how much income will

be brought in to pay for it all.

38 To have worked out what services need to be provided, how they will be resourced and the cost of

doing so. To plan and identify what other services maybe needed and when and cost of that.

To have worked out what buildings are needed the cost of providing them and the cost of running them.

To have planned for any likely RPI costs on the above.

To be able to this based on good upto date information. Notably how many residents there are would be a good start !

39 To understand where the money is being spent .

40 To identify and agree priorities for public services over the term of the government

41 Yes to set out among other things spending

42 Save our taxes being squandered

43 A plan to keep the public happy but not to actually stick to

44 To improve the quality and sustainability of live in Jersey, for ALL.

45 To create a plan for the future development of the island

46 The Government plans for the island covering proposed projects etc over a long, medium and

short term with projected costs over these periods. The plan would include input from the highly paid professionals from all relevant Departments of the States eg Treasury, Health & Social Services etc as to what the island can afford!!

47 To produce a timetable of things that will happen in the years of the plan. 48 To set out spending rules and plans for the coming years.

49 Kind of - isn't it to set out Government strategy to drive public policy?

50 Balancing income and expenditure

51 To set out what the government are going to do for the island


4. What do you understand to be the purpose of the Government Plan?

52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60	Sets out the way forward that the government wants to go
	To have some kind of plan on the way forward so that money is spread out between government departments
	To set spending and policy
	To estimate the financial income and outgoings of the island. To then look at what else can be afforded with what is left. (Nothing these days) To look at short, medium and long term plans and take into account any budgeting needed for these. It should look at how to improve the overall life for all islanders but will fall short I am sure.
	Budget
	To implement a short term vision for our island. Regardless, short term vision will not bring the island forward, and hence, this is why the spare time I do have will not be spent reading material I believe to be impractical having nit developed a long term approach.
	.
	No idea
	To set government spending parameters and priorities
		answered	60
		skipped	15

3. The Government Plan document

This section will discuss how easy the Government Plan 2022 to 2025 is to read and understand. The plan can be found at gov.je/Government/PlanningPerformance/GovernmentPlan.


5. How easy did you find it to navigate the Government Plan 2022 to 2025?

Answer Choices		Response Percent	Response Total
1	Very Easy	10.20%	5
2	Easy	12.24%	6
3	Neutral	36.73%	18
4	Hard	18.37%	9
5	Very Hard	4.08%	2
6	Don't know	18.37%	9
		answered	49
		skipped	26


6. How easy is it to understand the Government Plan 2022 to 2025?

Answer Choices		Response Percent	Response Total
1	Very Easy	4.17%	2
2	Easy	18.75%	9
3	Neutral	25.00%	12
4	Hard	31.25%	15
5	Very Hard	6.25%	3
6	Don't know	14.58%	7
		answered	48
		skipped	27


How easy is it to compare the information presented in the Government Plan 2022 to 2025 to previous Government Plans?

Answer Choices		Response Percent	Response Total
1	Very Easy	0.00%	0
2	Easy	6.25%	3
3	Neutral	25.00%	12
4	Hard	27.08%	13
5	Very Hard	10.42%	5
6	Don't know	31.25%	15
		answered	48
		skipped	27


7. Do you have any further comments about the how easy the Government Plan is to read and understand?

Answer Choices			Response Percent	Response Total
1	Open-Ended Question		100.00%	27
	1	Next to impossible to evaluate spending commitments. No historic series, no international comparisons. Constantly changing departmental structures further complicates things. Completely inaccessible document.
	2	Not worth the time or effort to read as they all make it up as they go along without any accountability
	3	It's not written in anyway that the average person understands it. Far too much waffle and goobledegook.
	4	Too long and too biased and promotional in nature and lacks factual underpinning of why certain priorities were chosen. Document should set out facts, action points as well as challenges (every action will have them!) and scrutiny comments so readers can understand how and why (or not as

7. Do you have any further comments about the how easy the Government Plan is to read and understand?

the case my be) an initiative has been supported. It should not read like a glossy political manifesto!

5 All government wants is to strip as much as possible the Middle earners income to pay for people

who

can't and / or don't work, live off income support and pay no tax. The middle earners are the mainstay of Jersey and can't take anymore of their hard earned money being taken - It will be better to not work and get government to look after them - The middle earners in Jersey need a break.

6 Far too much bulky. A condensed version would make it easier to read or even better, a short

video on Gov.je website giving an overview.

7 No

8 It all looks very easy and very nice on paper

9 Needed a lawyer to fathom it out!

10 There ought to be an abridged version (perhaps ~50 pages) along side the 206 page full

document. Also the vertical tables in the appendices are not very accessible for those who don't know how to rotate a PDF page. Total projected government expenditure and income could have been clearer and obvious. Especially the total projected debt, especially as one would have to read all the way down to page 103 and 156 to read the £1.7 billion figure.

11 Good

12 Don't want to read a party manifesto pretending to be the Government's plan.

13 Would be helpful if it was published in English and Polish as well

14 I asked for a hard copy from the town hall and they said they weren't giving any out, it was only

available online. It is an extremely hard document to only read online, hence why I gave up partial way through.

15 Not had time to read

16 Just use plain English

17 It all sounds great but is never executed correctly. For example, we are putting children first but

we are not allocating an extra £800m for children's services (the cost of the new hospital. Children are the most infrequent users of hospitals).

18 It is easy enough to read 1 at a time but to then try and cross reference from previous Plans get

very difficult. I gave up several times

19 I read the PDF version which doesn't seem like the intended format for it to be read (surprising if

the intention is for it to be ready by the largest amount of islanders). Formatting is all over the place. Hyperlinks in the contents page would be useful for instant navigation. Otherwise, headings were clear and text easily digestible, nevertheless, in terms of real content it was lacking - it seemed to be mostly a political fluff piece with no detail on what the plans are - just vague indications that money will be spent on X with no description of what will be achieved and how.

20 Needs to be made simpler for the public to understand

21 Written by civil servants for civil servants, what do you expect 22 The appendices with the figures are difficult to read.

They are placed the wrong way round.

23 It isn't written in a way the public can easily understand it. Too much goobledegook.

I can only find and navigate it because I've done successive years and am usually looking at a specific area. Good luck to anyone else who has never had to do it before!

24 Difficult to gauge the chosen direction embedded in the plan by government. Is it's purpose for the

climate change emergence or to keep Jersey ticking over until people realize they have no choice but change?


7. Do you have any further comments about the how easy the Government Plan is to read and understand?

26 27	No
	Yes the public don't trust you guys with a plan because you do not adhere to them
		answered	27
		skipped	48

4. Common Strategic Priorities

The Government Plan aims to meet five Common Strategic Priorities set by the Council of Ministers. These are: Putting Children First, Improving Wellbeing, Creating a Vibrant Economy, Reducing Inequality and Protecting the Environment. There is also an additional ongoing initiative of Modernising Government.

Details can be found from page 32 of the Government Plan with the amount allocated to each Common Strategic Priority and Modernising Government.


8. Based on what you have seen in the Government Plan, do you think the Council of Ministers meet each of the Common Strategic Priorities? Please indicate below where 1 is not met at all and 5 is fully met, please leave blank if unsure.

Answer Choices	1	2	3	4	5	Response Total
Putting Children First	50.00% 21	21.43% 9	19.05% 8	4.76% 2	4.76% 2	42
Improving Wellbeing	51.22% 21	21.95% 9	14.63% 6	9.76% 4	2.44% 1	41
Creating a Vibrant Economy	42.50% 17	17.50% 7	25.00% 10	7.50% 3	7.50% 3	40
Reducing Inequality	58.54% 24	26.83% 11	9.76% 4	2.44% 1	2.44% 1	41
Protecting the Environment	48.78% 20	14.63% 6	29.27% 12	4.88% 2	2.44% 1	41
					answered	42
					skipped	33

9. Do you think that the financial allocation for each of the priorities is appropriate? Please indicate whether you think too much or too little is allocated in each case. Further information can be found in Table 3, on page 8 of the Annex to the Government Plan. Please leave blank if unsure.

Far too About Far too Response Answer Choices Too little Too much

little right much Total


9. Do you think that the financial allocation for each of the priorities is appropriate? Please indicate whether you think too much or too little is allocated in each case. Further information can be found in Table 3, on page 8 of the Annex to the Government Plan. Please leave blank if unsure.

Putting Children First	43.59% 17	10.26% 4	30.77% 12	7.69% 3	7.69% 3	39
Improving Wellbeing	31.58% 12	31.58% 12	13.16% 5	13.16% 5	10.53% 4	38
Creating a Vibrant Economy	13.51% 5	21.62% 8	27.03% 10	16.22% 6	21.62% 8	37
Reducing Inequality	56.76% 21	18.92% 7	13.51% 5	5.41% 2	5.41% 2	37
Protecting the Environment	45.95% 17	29.73% 11	21.62% 8	0.00% 0	2.70% 1	37
Modernising Government	10.53% 4	7.89% 3	13.16% 5	31.58% 12	36.84% 14	38
					answered	39
					skipped	36

5. Government Expenditure

This section will review the proposed spending in the Government Plan 2022 to 2025.


10. Proposed Total Government Net Expenditure in 2022 is £1,171 million. Do you think the Government Plan explains clearly how public money is being spent? Further details can be found in Table 7 on page 121 of the Government Plan.

Answer Choices		Response Percent	Response Total
1	Yes	10.53%	4
2	No	78.95%	30
3	Don't know	10.53%	4
		answered	38
		skipped	37

11. Based on what you have read in the Government Plan, do you think that the budget allocated to each of the following departments is appropriate? Table 13 on page 126 of the Government Plan outlines Revenue Heads of Expenditure. Please leave blank if unsure

Far too About Far too Response Answer Choices Too little Too much

little right much Total 6.06% 0.00% 15.15% 45.45% 33.33%

Chief Operating Office 33

2 0 5 15 11


11. Based on what you have read in the Government Plan, do you think that the budget allocated to each of the following departments is appropriate? Table 13 on page 126 of the Government Plan outlines Revenue Heads of Expenditure. Please leave blank if unsure

Children, Young People, Education and Skills	28.57% 10	31.43% 11	28.57% 10	2.86% 1	8.57% 3	35
Customer and Local Services	11.76% 4	26.47% 9	38.24% 13	23.53% 8	0.00% 0	34
Infrastructure, Housing and Environment	22.86% 8	34.29% 12	25.71% 9	11.43% 4	5.71% 2	35
Health and Community Services	36.36% 12	42.42% 14	15.15% 5	3.03% 1	3.03% 1	33
Justice and Home Affairs	10.00% 3	13.33% 4	60.00% 18	6.67% 2	10.00% 3	30
Office of the Chief Executive	3.03% 1	0.00% 0	12.12% 4	30.30% 10	54.55% 18	33
Department for the Economy	3.03% 1	6.06% 2	30.30% 10	24.24% 8	36.36% 12	33
Strategic Policy, Planning and Performance	6.25% 2	12.50% 4	28.13% 9	34.38% 11	18.75% 6	32
Treasury and Exchequer	3.03% 1	9.09% 3	24.24% 8	36.36% 12	27.27% 9	33
					answered	35
					skipped	40


12. The Government Plan includes £23 million for the Climate Emergency Fund to support the move to lower carbon lifestyles. It is anticipated that to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030 circa £250-300 million would be needed.* Do you think that the allocation set aside in this Government Plan is set at the right level?

Answer Choices		Response Percent	Response Total
1	Yes	15.38%	6
2	No	69.23%	27
3	Don't know	15.38%	6
		answered	39
		skipped	36


13. There are eight items in the Government Plan which the Government propose to fund as required because there remains uncertainty about their final cost. These include: the cost of the Covid-19 helpline, test and trace, border controls and vehicle testing, Brexit transition and four environmental projects. Do you think that, in principle, a full budget for these should be provided before the spending is approved on projects and items included in the Government Plan?

Answer Choices		Response Percent	Response Total
1	Yes	79.49%	31
2	No	5.13%	2
3	Don't know	15.38%	6
		answered	39
		skipped	36


14. The Government Plan will allocate a total of £961 million for the provision of public services. There will be an allocation of £210 million to capital projects (maintaining or improving public assets). Based on what you have seen in the Government Plan, do you think that the balance between funding public services and funding capital projects is right?

Answer Choices		Response Percent	Response Total
1	Yes	18.42%	7
2	No	63.16%	24
3	Don't know	18.42%	7
		answered	38
		skipped	37


15. Through your interactions with Government of Jersey services, do you consider that you receive value for money for the taxes that you pay?

Answer Choices			Response Percent	Response Total
1	Yes		17.95%	7
2	No		79.49%	31
3	Don't know		2.56%	1
			answered	39
			skipped	36

Would you like to share any comments on why you have given this answer? (21)

1 2		Public services in Jersey are poor, yet we continue to try and put across a low tax, low spend model. I am happy to pay more in taxes in order to have good quality public services. We need dramatic improvement in virtually all areas
		Absolutely not. Services are cut left & right. Too much of the budget is spent on yet more Directors and other senior management with little regards to the lower ranks that are directly trying to deliver

a failing service as departments are over managed. CLS cut to the bone. Not even opening to the public. How can that possibly use customer' & services' in their titles. Many gov.je staff still working from home. When the private sector where usual services are nearly back to normal.

3 As someone in the middle we see our taxes rise and rise, yet we have seen a decline in services.

We see other groups High income HNW either comparatively paying less in tax, or much lower always included in any help gov gives. We however seem to pay for everyone else.

4 You can never see a person now face to face everything has to be done by phone or email not

everyone (elderly) can do this

5 Front line customer service at all government depts is good. Re open La Motte Street office to

make it better! Problem is with the middle and senior management roles who are ego filled short term empire builders not looking out for what is best for Jersey.

6 Point one is that I, and many other people have, once again been hit with unexpected tax bills late

in the year because the Income Tax Department is utterly incompetent. They have one job that they regularly get wrong.

7 my money seems to support people who don't work and on projects that cost far far too much e.g.

the new hospital - we don't need to spend in time 1.5 billion+ on this - absolute folly

8 The Gov of Jersey, ONEGOV, has closed down. We do not have an operating Government. It is

non existent. The Government is not available to guide and care for the community. The Government fails in every field.

9 I was considering answering with 'no', simply because I don't believe the cost of the finance centre

and the hospital was worth the amount of investment. Though overwise I am very satisfied with every government services I have used.

10 Appropriate services are being reduced but taxes are increasing. Poor / middle classes affected

the most. Got rise is disgraceful

11 Income tax and social security impossible to deal with, pity anyone trying to run a small business 12 I'm paying more this year for no extra benefit

13 It's the hardest departments to speak to or email

14 Income tax department is useless, badly run and doesn't inform you if you've paid too much tax.

Children's service are also appalling (ex foster carer here) It actually harms children's well-being and future development.

They wasted over £50 million deciding nothing about the hospital. Chose a builder, without a design, planning or cost. Honestly, I could write for hours.

15 Although GST goods

Although the GST portal could be much user friendly, particularly the commodity code info and final section. Very complicated.

16 Too many in senior positions never held accountable for poor performance /management. Staff

actually doing the job less valued than managerial class supposedly monitoring their staffs delivery without actually making the patient /consumer as good as it can be. Having worked in health for 30 years managers and HR police rather than support

17 A £1,000M budget should do a LOT more.

18 I think that Ministers forget it is not their money they are spending, it belongs to the people of

Jersey who need responsible people to manage it. When your taxes are being paid out on payoffs through the incompetencies of either Ministers or senior civil servants it is not acceptable.

19 I rarely interact with the GoJ, however, most of my experiences have been with the tax, and

passport departments. Both of which seem to make mistakes constantly, and require me (as the taxpayer and 'customer') to review everything they do for me and almost always provide corrections.

On the other hand, non-direct interactions with Government, for example as a road user, the services always seem to be good value.

20 Civil servants work hard, work more hours than private workers and get less pay and don't get

regular pay raises after x amount of years in a role.

21 Government spending is too high and out of control both on revenue spending and on capital projects ( eg the hospital which is twice the cost of building a hospital in London )


16. Do you think that the Fiscal Stimulus Fund, set up to provide temporary and targeted funding for projects which support local jobs and economic benefits should continue in 2022 and beyond? Further detail can be found on page 174 of the Government Plan.

Answer Choices		Response Percent	Response Total
1	Yes	53.85%	21
2	No	35.90%	14
3	Don't know	10.26%	4
		answered	39
		skipped	36


17. Do you think that the Government should allocate money in the Government Plan for a public inquiry into the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic?

Answer Choices		Response Percent	Response Total
1	Yes	55.26%	21
2	No	34.21%	13
3	Don't know	10.53%	4
		answered	38
		skipped	37


18. Do you have any further comments on government expenditure?

Answer Choices			Response Percent	Response Total
1	Open-Ended Question		100.00%	22
	1	Stop trying to do Government on the cheep!
	2	Increase the budget for the SOJP you simply can't afford to cut or reduce these services. Prevention is always better than detection of a crime. Increase budget and extend the ambulance services and other front line services.
	3	If companies still require help to survive from covid going forward, perhaps they weren't good businesses in the first place. So why so much support? The cost of the new hospital is ridiculous, everytime it's mentioned another cost pops up. It's badly thought out too expensive.

We seem to try and copy the UK in too many areas, we seem to be copying their way of spending too.

4 Stop wasting it like on this new hospital!! That normal people won't be able to use coz won't be

able to get insurance

5 Hospital building costs will exceed the entire annual public spend when the real emergency is in

ensuring a sustainable health care front line workers, from primary care to secondary. An overly expensive building does nothing to help this but does take away funds needed for salaries and employee support. Government needs to stop being so stubborn and admit the problems in front of them and don't break the parts that are actually working!

6 The government seem to have an idea and run with it before doing real costings - They just have

no idea of how to budget or take notice of people and scrutiny. Consultation exercises are just ticking boxes and ignore sensible suggestions and costing. I have no faith in the Council of Ministers - they are people who don't know the real price of items - if they were spending their own money we would see more sense. Too much borrowing ideas. Jersey has always and shoud be to spend within its means.

7 More transparency and more regular reporting on government expenditure would be welcomed. 8 No

9 Don't spend what you don't have

10 Robbing Peter to pay Paul all the time. Money wasted on ridiculous projects which are not needed

or wanted, this island will be bankrupt in 10-15 years time with massive debts and an ageing population as any sensible young person will have left!

11 I believe that too much money has been allocated to be borrowed for the new hospital and that the

hospital is too expensive. Given overspending with the Government's digital upgrade and the finance centre, I worry that the expenditure of this plan will provide even worse problems.

I also don't believe that there is enough support for the agriculture/aquaculture, art, heritage and public worker staff pay in this budget. Nor do I believe that this plan does enough to diversify Jersey's economy.

12 Recruit local and stop high level golden handshakes

13 Just that it's appallingly wasteful and there is never any action taken against those who do the

planning and wasting.

14 Continually growing will at some point result in contraction and how will we fund flats and office

space then.

Something must change particularly in St Helier and for those on benefits or the in work poor

15 It seems this government wants to bankrupt Jersey. Their spending is out of control.

16 Too much money is wasted. You are entrapping an entire generation with £1.3Bn in debt that we

will be unable to pay. The problem of wellbeing is not being solved correctly. Decision makers in the Civil Service need to step down and let young people born in Jersey take over leadership of the island. People who have run cities in England do not understand how to make somewhere like Jersey a nice place to live. Go back to England and leave us alone. You were not born here and you don't know what Jersey needs. If you really cared about Jersey, you would leave.

17 Only in regard to the proposed future spending (sorry borrowing) for the hospital. I feel helpless,

totally betrayed as a local, by the people who voted for this amount of borrowing to go ahead. 18 I would like to see more detail on the expenditure, for example, the chief operating office is

expected to spend nearly £38 million in 2022, the question being on what? How as a tax payer

can I feel my money is well spent when I have no idea what it's being spent on?

19 Use the people you have instead of having to pay contractors or temps on projects who don't

know what they are doing and just costing the tax payer more money.

20 Fund our states schools fully. Support our teachers. Ensure businesses are taxed properly.

Ensure HNW individuals are taxed. Do not increase tax for young earners & pensioners

21 Too high and appears to be lack of control with certain projects now being paid for by reckless borrowing for future generations to pay for based on unrealistic and speculative assumptions.

22 Government spending is completely out of control.

We should live within our means.

answered 22 skipped 53

6. Revenue Measures

This section will discuss the proposed Revenue Raising Measures in the Government Plan 2022 to 2025. These are outlined in Part Five of the Government Plan, with a description of budget proposals located on page 144.


19. The Government Plan does not propose any change to Stamp Duty, in the future would you support any of the following? Please select all those that you agree with, or leave blank

Answer Choices		Response Percent	Response Total
1	Higher Stamp Duty for buy to let properties	73.68%	28


2	Lower Stamp Duty for owner occupier properties	52.63%	20


3	Lower Stamp Duty for first time buyers	73.68%	28


4	Higher Stamp Duty for purchases by those who own more than one property	76.32%	29


5	Higher Stamp Duty for purchases of higher value properties	47.37%	18
6	Lower Stamp Duty for purchases of lower value properties	44.74%	17
7	None of the above	7.89%	3
		answered	38
		skipped	37


20. Do you have any comments on the revenue measures proposed in the Government Plan?

Answer Choices			Response Percent	Response Total
1	Open-Ended Question		100.00%	12
	1	Raise taxes on higher earners - remove caps on social security.
	2	Honestly? I give up with this government, adopted a tax change that will cost more, and benefits those on high incomes the most!

20. Do you have any comments on the revenue measures proposed in the Government Plan?

3 Need to develop marine related business through education collaborations that attract research

and businesses here. No casinos or silly convention centres at Fort Regent. Perfect headquarters for a marine research centre with easy access to the sea.

Not revenue related -More needs to be done for children and education in particular which directly supports the future well being of Jersey. All other initiatives are dependent on a population policy. Government is foolish to embark on so many expensive initiatives without a key piece of data on how many people will be here. They have purposely avoided the hard decisions in an attempt to appear to be taking action.

4 Remove tax caps and raise taxes on the rich as well as foreign-owned companies. 5 Stop building offices too many unoccupied

Encourage retail by making it easier to shop free parking and allow pop up stores in the vacant shops

Give Jersey her identity back

6 Definitely think higher stamp duties on second homes/buy to let and high value properties 7 Zero 10 must change

Introduce a capital gains tax

8 Tax the ones who can afford it the most

9 The minimum size of new build properties needs to be increased because new builds are too

small.

10 The never-ending plans of this government to enforce GST from offshore retailers and reduce the

de minimis will affect the poorest in society the most, a more progressive taxation system, including a higher liability than the ~20 % we currently have for the highest earners, is fairer and I would think likely to result in a greater increase in tax revenue than focusing on GST.

11 Cannot tax more as people can hardly afford to live in Jersey. 12 Increase Tax HNW individuals & businesses

answered 12 skipped 63

7. Borrowing

The Government Plan 2022-25 proposes total borrowing of £1,744 million in 2022, details can be found from page 156 of the plan.

21. Do you think that the Government of Jersey should look to borrow and refinance existing debt?

Response Response Answer Choices

Percent Total

1 Yes 20.51% 8 2 No 64.10% 25 3 Don't know 15.38% 6

answered 39 skipped 36


22. Do you have any further comments on proposed Government borrowing?

Answer Choices			Response Percent	Response Total
1	Open-Ended Question		100.00%	15
	1	It is a complete lack of fiscal responsibility that means Jersey is going for the first time into massive debt.
	2	Live within our means just like many households across the island don't keep borrowing for grandiose world class' schemes. We are a small island 9x5 don't need to be world class.
	3	It's a scandalous amount of money I'm horrified,
	4	If they did not waste £804+ on new hospital no need to borrow
	5	Hospital building borrowing costs are reckless and unnecessary. It will decrease our credit rating and take away funding for more important priorities. Hospital could be built for far less - focus on the crisis of front line health care workers and not future gardens on top of a hill!
	6	It is folly to borrow money as it will cost you 4 times more in the long run - only idiots borrow and put future generations in debt. what seems cheap now will cost a plenty later on. We should always live within our means - if you don't have the money to buy then you can't have it.
	7	Do the ministers deciding these proposals have any experience at all in finance?
	8	The government should have only borrowed to cover the expenses of covid and for post-covid recovery. Money ought not to have been borrow for the hospital. Borrowing now and forcing future governments to pay of the debt unfairly places the burden on future generations.
	9	If had not wasted money there would be no need to borrow
	10	This government will bankrupt the island. Surely we should live within our means.
	11	Dont get me started. Borrowing £1.3Bn to buy an £800M hospital? This is an insane rip off. It does not matter that this is a good time to borrow - we dont need to do it and it's an insane risk.
	12	We are a small island with limited income, so should not be borrowing huge amounts like these.
	13	Hugely excessive with proposed borrowing due to increase from 5 % to 33% of value of economy within next year or so deferring payment for 30/40 years and based on reckless and speculative assumption that they will be a 5-6% return from investments during that time. . Completely goes against Jersey's reputation for being a stable and fiscally conservative jurisdiction and will adversely effect its credit rating
	14	The Government should NOT be borrowing.
	15	Too much borrowing, basically the island has been insolvent since the introduction of zero ten in 2008. It simply does not raise enough revenue to pay for the services required.
			answered	15
			skipped	60

Rebalancing and Efficiencies

The Government Plan 2022-25 proposes £20 million of efficiencies and rebalancing in 2022. These are the measures which seek to balance Government finances, including the delivery of savings.

Details can be found from page 82 of the Government Plan.


23. Do you think that there is enough information in the Government Plan about how the efficiencies and rebalancing will be achieved?

Answer Choices		Response Percent	Response Total
1	Yes	2.56%	1
2	No	84.62%	33
3	Don't know	12.82%	5
		answered	39
		skipped	36


24. Do you think that the delivery of the efficiencies and rebalancing programme outlined in the Government Plan will have an impact on the provision of services?

Answer Choices		Response Percent	Response Total
1	Yes	58.97%	23
2	No	15.38%	6
3	Don't know	25.64%	10
		answered	39
		skipped	36


25. If yes, what do you think that impact will be?

Answer Choices			Response Percent	Response Total
1	Open-Ended Question		100.00%	20
	1	"Efficiencies" have been tried to be created for decades - there are no easy wins remaining. In the real world you have to spend money to create efficiency - and payback is measured in decades. Efficiencies should not be being "manufactured" to try and cover day to day spending.
	2	Reduction of services at grass route level to protect the overinflated salaries of multiple layers of senior management and directors
	3	The next generation will be affected
	4	Poorer services to the public. As it is you can't get anyone to answer a phone, reply to an email. We have a comms unit, yet we have no communication! Ministers use spokespersons, who are they? How can you contact one without a name?
	5	putting Jersey into debt will impact very negatively in the future. The decisions these ministers make now will be dead and gone and the young people of today will be saddled with the debt and burdens, especially when the finance centre disappears, which it will. Banks and financial institutions have No loyalty to Jersey and will leave overnight if other jurisdictions provide better deals and arrangements - watch this space....
	6	Negative
	7	Customer Service will suffer Even fewer face to face interactions *Will probably impact the "normal" civil servants with more workload, inadequate pay / benefits and health/mental health.


25. If yes, what do you think that impact will be?

8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20	*Will generally not attract the "normal" workforce as salaries/benefits will be even better in finance sector then they are already.
	Less efficient services with longer waiting times.
	Greater efficiency and supply of service.
	The poorest will be hit hardest
	To be fair they couldn't run a pub let alone an island budget and refinance the millions of pounds wasted
	Further decline in heath and the social care/security safety net
	More costs, worse service.
	Im sure it will not work as intended.
	A cut in the amounts budgeted for Children & Education, Health & Well-being, Housing etc
	Less money for States Education which are starved of Funds.
	Negative, will probably deteriorate
	Depends on whether there will be proper controls and if so will reduce money available
	Deterioration of services Lowering of morale within departments.
	More managers and leas front line staff and services
		answered	20
		skipped	55


26. Do you have any further comments on the rebalancing and efficiencies proposals in the Government Plan?

Answer Choices			Response Percent	Response Total
1	Open-Ended Question		100.00%	10
	1	Completely fabricated - they are not real efficiencies
	2	Government is not specific on the savings and how they will be achieved. They are not transparent in true costs to properly review. Recent past has shown closure of valued savings deemed 'savings'. Much scrutiny of any allegrd savings is required. For instance, the new govt HQ is to deliver savings but the govt will be paying rent on a building it owns today with an option to buy it again! Full costs need to be looked at when assessing savings, not sound bytes for the media with substance backing it up.
	3	The ministers need to listen to the people and scrutiny - not play lip service and do just what they want - spend spend spend from borrowing money.
	4	Higher tax rate for anyone earning over £100 K. Instead of 26% make it 28-30 %. Enough to get extra but not too much to drive higher earners away
	5	It seems that they wasted money and now think 20 million will fill the gap? Rubbish. -50 million for the hospital fiasco. Why?
	6	I have absolutely no confidence in this government plan.
	7	No


26. Do you have any further comments on the rebalancing and efficiencies proposals in the Government Plan?

8 9 10	Broad headings and detail-lacking text does not inspire confidence in their plans. how are they going to achieve £20m in efficiencies. It seems like the kind of areas you'd identify at the beginning of a project before you delved into any detail and identified actionable items to increase efficiency.
	No
	I am against Previous Year Tax payers being moved to current year.... the Tax Office is a shambles. Making hard working employees reapply for their jobs whilst bringing in many senior well-paid layers of Management has badly impacted on the Island.
		answered	10
		skipped	65

Demographics

Please answer the following quick questions to aid in understanding views expressed, please remember this survey is anonymous and cannot be attributed to you.


27. What age are you?

Answer Choices		Response Percent	Response Total
1	16 – 24	5.13%	2
2	25 – 34	5.13%	2
3	35 – 44	10.26%	4
4	45 – 54	17.95%	7
5	55 – 64	43.59%	17
6	65+	15.38%	6
7	Prefer not to say	2.56%	1
		answered	39
		skipped	36


28. Are you...

Answer Choices		Response Percent	Response Total
1	Working for an employer	46.15%	18
2	Self-employed, employing others	5.13%	2
3	Self-employed, not employing others	10.26%	4


28. Are you...

4	Retired		25.64%	10
5	Unemployed, looking for work		0.00%	0
6	Unemployed, not looking for work		0.00%	0
7	In full-time education		2.56%	1
8	A homemaker		0.00%	0
9	Unable to work due to long-term sickness/disability		5.13%	2
10	Prefer not to say		2.56%	1
11	Other (please specify):		2.56%	1
			answered	39
			skipped	36

Other (please specify): (1)

1		retired and working to make ends meet


29. If employed, what sector do you work in? Please select all those that apply, or leave blank

Answer Choices		Response Percent	Response Total
1	Agriculture and fishing	4.17%	1
2	Manufacturing; utilities and waste	0.00%	0
3	Construction and quarrying	4.17%	1
4	Wholesale and retail	4.17%	1
5	Hotels, restaurants, bars and catering	0.00%	0
6	Transport and storage	0.00%	0
7	Information and communication	4.17%	1
8	Financial and legal activities	25.00%	6
9	Miscellaneous business activities	4.17%	1
10	Private education, health and other services	12.50%	3
11	Public sector	12.50%	3
12	Prefer not to say	20.83%	5


29. If employed, what sector do you work in? Please select all those that apply, or leave blank

13	Other (please specify):		8.33%	2
			answered	24
			skipped	51

Other (please specify): (2)

1 2		Accounting
		Estate Management


30. What is your household income?

Answer Choices		Response Percent	Response Total
1	Under £20,000	5.13%	2
2	£20,001 to £40,000	17.95%	7
3	£40,001 to £60,000	17.95%	7
4	£60,001 to £80,000	5.13%	2
5	£80,001 to £100,000	7.69%	3
6	£100,001 to £140,000	5.13%	2
7	£140,001 to £180,000	2.56%	1
8	£180,001 or over	10.26%	4
9	Prefer not to say	28.21%	11
		answered	39
		skipped	36


31. What gender do you identify as?

Answer Choices		Response Percent	Response Total
1	Female	48.72%	19
2	Male	41.03%	16
3	Non-binary	0.00%	0
4	Prefer not to say	10.26%	4
		answered	39
		skipped	36

Summary


32. Do you have any further comments on the Government Plan 2022 to 2025?

Answer Choices			Response Percent	Response Total
1	Open-Ended Question		100.00%	19
	1	They are not taking care of the important areas ie doctors. Childrens mental health
	2	Bin it!
	3	Don't build houses on the fields at mont a'labbe there is too much traffic on the main road in that area already and with the new hospital going at Overdale it will be worse
	4	Children Environment Housing Education
	5	I hope this plan is defeated so that an entirely new COM can be formed after elections next year and start to repair the damage of the current group.
	6	I believe more should be done for young families to buy affordable homes.
	7	Beggars belief!
	8	Thank you scrutiny staff!
	9	Sort out fair taxation Sort out housing.
	10	Stop wasting money Accountability , budget overspend needs to stop Stop travelling to forums conferences etc hold by Teams, zoom etc
	11	Housing and homes need prioritising. A one bedroom flat is not a home and sadly that seems to be what is being built on the old hotel sites. Small houses and larger flats should be prioritised and affordable
	12	All money over 5m should only be signed of by states members as they could do more than two days a week
	13	The new government next year needs their own plan, not one made by the outgoing ministers.
	14	Honestly, don't bother writing another one. We don't trust you, you never do what you say, you don't listen to the wishes of the people that voted for you.
	15	A smaller document highlighting the key facts, proposal and numbers should be supplied to complement the bigger strategy document. Then, if I wanted to deep dive into a particular section I would know where to find the more detailed information. Currently, the document presented is like trying to find a needle in a haystack and at worse if you don't read an entire section you could read something out of context, I found it extremely laborious to read despite being keen and wanting to read it.
	16	I think this document is open to change and the Ministers promises are not worth the paper they are written on.
	17	No
	18	Money should not be taken out of the HIF. The Government should not be placing the Island into this debt. Please vote against the Government Plan 2022-2025.
	19	We need higher taxes for high earners. You cannot have first class services on and island with high wage and housing costs with a 20% tax rate while businesses pay nothing. Every step and gov plan we are always promising to end the deficits in the next few years but it never comes.
			answered	19
			skipped	56

Research - Survey of Public Perception of the Government Plan 2022-25 - 23 November 2021