States halfway through programme to cut jobs
THE States is halfway through the process of cutting some 150 jobs from the public sector.
The Policy & Resources Committee updated the Scrutiny Management Committee on progress so far, redefining its target for job cuts, and the next stage.
Approximately 75 roles have been removed in the past year or so. These include senior positions such as that of chief
information officer.
Discussions on further frontline job cuts to come, revealed shortly before Christmas, are continuing, but that process is expected to see a similar number of jobs go.
Stephen Langford, negotiations executive at the union Prospect/Association of Guernsey Civil Servants, said a significant number of members were affected by several change programmes currently being undertaken.
‘In accordance with good employment practice, those affected have been consulted on what is being proposed,’ he said.
‘Although the position for some specific staff groups has been clarified, in most cases staff are awaiting details of how their feedback has been taken into account in determining the intended changes.
‘Regardless of whether any redundancies will result, this continues to be a very unsettling time for staff, who are understandably concerned about what jobs they will be undertaking if the new working practices are introduced.’
He said regular meetings with those driving the change programmes would continue throughout the consultation and implementation stages.
P&R vice-president Deputy Heidi Soulsby said the changes would lead to ‘a States that is more customer-focused, and that the taxpayer can be assured is the most effective and efficient that we can make it’.
