P&R’s former vice-president criticises savings survey

P&R’s new savings sub-committee is launching the survey on Monday. It invites every islander to submit three suggestions to help reduce States spending by up to £16m. a year within five years.

Deputy Soulsby, who earlier this year led a successful amendment to prompt a review of spending, said yesterday that P&R was failing to carry out its work as intended.

‘I can see people becoming more disillusioned than they are already because of the approach taken,’ she said.

‘It mismanages public expectations. It is very likely that many, if not most, ideas will be rejected, and I don’t think it will make any difference if they provide the reasons for doing so.’

Deputy Soulsby said the sub-committee was required to engage with the public on savings following the defeat of P&R’s proposal for a goods and services tax – but also on raising additional income.

‘That element of the tax review needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency and is where effective community engagement should be focused, not through P&R wearing people down such that they bring back their same proposals in September,’ she said.

The sub-committee’s chairman, David Mahoney, has said that its call for islanders’ ideas to reduce spending shows that ‘no idea will be left off the table’ in the States intent to deal with a funding shortfall projected to reach about £100m. by 2040.

Other deputies spoke in favour of the idea of the survey yesterday.

Deputy Steve Falla said that islanders generally felt able to make their views known to States members and that people with suggestions would be happy to take part in the survey.

‘During the Education Law debate there have been numerous references to consultation and engagement and I can’t see any harm in P&R reminding the public that there’s no monopoly on good ideas,’ he said.

‘Perhaps it just might produce some thoughts that can be added into the mix.’

Deputy Christopher Le Tissier also welcomed the survey.

He said he was confident the sub-committee would consider each suggestion. But he accepted there would be some suggestions which were ill thought-through, provocative or impractical.

‘Apart from just saying “no tax rises”, we need practical ideas on how to cut costs and generate more income. It’s difficult and a simplistic approach won’t work,’ he said.

He added that any attempt to cut public spending would succeed only if deputies sitting on spending committees accepted that ultimately they were responsible for firmer budget control.

‘P&R can only suggest savings to individual committees.

'Real savings are down to individual committees. I think that needs to be firmly understood by committees,’ he said.

‘Deputies need to understand that. Savings need to be applied to all – not just someone else. I think P&R wants to leave no stone unturned – hence the survey.’

The survey will be open for three weeks from Monday.

Deputy Le Tissier said that was long enough to pool islanders’ ideas especially when time was running out to balance the books.

• The survey will be available online at www.gov.gg/yourviews from 9am. Suggestions are also welcome by post to: Reducing the Cost of Public Services Sub-Committee, Sir Charles Frossard House, La Charroterie, St Peter Port, GY1 1FH.