The other 'impossible job'

We would now wish, as the Policy & Resources Committee appears to have done, to change our minds, please.

It now appears that ‘the impossible job’ within the States of Guernsey – not that it belongs to any individual – is actually reducing the size of the workforce. And thereby, saving money.

This week the president of P&R trashed the public sector reform mission that the States has been pursuing since 2015. It wasn’t working and, frankly, it was never going to work, he said.

Yet 12 months ago the same committee, though this time through its vice-president, was still enthusiastically talking about the need for transformation, particularly against a backdrop of ‘huge financial pressures’. Making better use of technology would release people and save money.

Do you know, there was even going to be a ‘significant restructuring’ of the public service. Talks were taking place with staff… It is understood that this has involved a centralisation of grounds maintenance teams. It has certainly not made headline news.

But even as far back as 2018 public service reform was making changes in the public sector. The annual update from that time announces the launch of a combined counter service at Wheadon House; some property rationalisation – taking departments out of Cornet Street and Grange House; moving towards a single Revenue Service; and increased use of online services.

Whether that all amounts to the promised ‘real transformational change in the way we provide services’ is open to question, but change has been proved to be possible.

What seems to be impossible in the public sector as a whole is losing headcount or making significant savings.