Framework to be drawn up on ‘grey area’ of non-voting role
A FRAMEWORK is being drawn up outlining the recruitment process and expectations of non-voting members on States committees, after it was described as a ‘very grey area’.
Non-voting members are not deputies, but they can provide an important voice in committee meetings.
Officials have drawn up a draft report considering hiring and firing, training, possible exclusions, conduct and performance of the people in this public role.
It was agreed at the most recent meeting of the States' Assembly & Constitution Committee that the draft should be fleshed out in more detail.
Committee president Carl Meerveld said it was a very grey area and he wanted to see a greater emphasis on non-voting members holding skills and expertise that were relevant to the mandate of the committee on which they sat.
‘In the last States term there was no real guidance on how non-States members were recruited, and different committees have taken very different approaches.
‘So this will improve the governance process, and also make sure that those vacancies are advertised and open to everyone to apply.’
It was a topical issue, but was something that had been on the agenda for Sacc since the last States term, said Deputy Meerveld.
This reflected the concerns of deputies in general because of the lack of guidance for committees and the lack of consistency across the States in the way that it has been implemented.
That lack of consistency was highlighted in a recent access to public information request that was submitted by the group Women in Public Life.
It revealed that the only committee to formally advertise the positions was Scrutiny Management, and the criteria to evaluate candidates varied widely.
Deputy John Gollop, a member of Sacc, thought that non-voting members should be integrated into the training of deputies, and he thought they should be allowed to express views on public issues outside their mandate, and not be treated more onerously.
An example given was that someone on Education, Sport & Culture should be allowed to voice legitimate views on the environment.
Deputy Lester Queripel thought that committees should not have ‘nodding dogs’ and that non-voting members were there to challenge.
The most recent meeting of Sacc also discussed the recommendations arising from an internal review of last year’s general election.
After some debate it was agreed that the report – which considers issues including the hustings, by-elections, and candidate expenditure – will be made public in a few weeks' time.
