Partnership is key to civil service reform

Over the decades, attempts to restructure the way Guernsey provides its public services have largely failed because the staff side is resistant to change and its representatives overly influential.

The reasons for that are historic. In addition, politicians are advised by those who are part of a system that gives employees rights and job security that have disappeared from the private sector.

Taxpayers do not owe their public servants a living – especially one that is more privileged than that available to those funding it – but they do want them treated fairly and with respect.

In particular, islanders demand a public sector that is adaptable and fit for today’s purposes.

What Deputy Ferbrache highlights is there is no adequate performance management, no significant attempts to outsource States operations – despite doing so remaining official policy – and no control over payroll costs and numbers.

No private business could operate in that manner and neither can government, unless taxpayers want to keep bankrolling salary costs that have soared by £61m. – that’s £16,700 a day – in the 10 years to 2020, and now stand at more than a quarter of a billion a year and rising.

If the public sector unions are responsible and reasonable, as we believe they are, they too will recognise the current model is fundamentally flawed and in urgent need of reform.

The point here, however, is that there will be pain on both sides.

Negotiating away restrictive practices comes at a price. Government itself also needs to recognise it does not have the in-house skills to achieve the level of modernisation required because its track record in this area is not strong.

Covid has shown how much the island depends on its public sector just as much as it has reinforced the absolute need for reform. Achieving that can only be achieved in the spirit of the Guernsey Together partnership.