NEW Environment minister Peter Sirett has pledged to take action to improve the planning process. Confederation of Guernsey Industry chairman Phil Duquemin has claimed that morale in the planning section is at ‘rock bottom’.
He has also urged Environment to take on board all the recommendations in Chris Shepley’s independent report into the department, not pick at them in a piecemeal way. Deputy Sirett said the report was one of the best he had read, with some very good recommendations.
‘The idea that we could incorporate all of it is probably a bit ambitious and cherry-picking may be not what the CGi wants to see, but we have to work within budgets and some of the points require financing.’
Deputy Sirett (pictured is keen for the public to be able to get guidance from planning officers before making an application – something that has not been concentrated on in the past as much as it should, he said.
‘I’ve great hopes that the Shepley report will achieve a lot, but I’m particularly keen on improving staff morale. They are continually getting a kicking from the public. I know there are resource problems and that’s something I intend to do something about.’
A couple of senior planning officers have been lost to Jersey because they were made a better offer, he said.
‘We need to make sure that the environment they work in means they are not tempted away,’ he said.
‘If we make the job more enjoyable, that’s a big bonus. The idea of helping them to make their job better is something that’s got to be a priority of the new board.’
Speaking at the CGi AGM before Deputy Sirett was elected, outgoing chairman Mr Duquemin was concerned that people were simply picking what they wanted from the Shepley report.
‘I think it’s a big mistake to say we want this, but not that,’ he said.
There is currently not the right balance between green issues and planning issues, he said.
‘We can balance the needs of both if we work together,’ he said.
‘I’m also concerned. I know morale at the Environment Department is at rock bottom. I’ve had phone calls and emails and I really feel for people who work in that department who are struggling to cope. We’re likely to lose some right-thinking people unless we fix the problems there.’
The key recommendations of the Shepley report included removing the planning function from Environment and that all States departments should work more closely together.
Article posted on 13th May, 2008 - 2.29pm
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