TREASURY Minister Charles Parkinson is confident the States can deliver on the £70m. of savings outlined in the Fundamental Spending Review.
Speaking after his department’s report on the findings of the Tribal Consulting review were endorsed without amendment, he said it was now time for the States to deliver when asked if he was confident it could achieve the savings over the next five years.
‘I think we can. It’s now up to the States to make it happen,’ he said.
‘We have set off in the right direction and I now hope we don’t get derailed by departmental silo mentality or a lack of corporate working.
‘It was a huge debate with a lot of speeches and good points.’
Approval by States members of the report yesterday means deputies support the findings in Tribal’s FSR phase two document and have agreed to retain the services of the consultant to assist with the delivery of its findings as part of phase three.
It also means £10m. will be transferred from the general revenue cash pool to be used in connection with the delivery of the efficiency opportunities.
In September, when Tribal issued its phase two findings, it said 73% of the £70m. – or £51m. in savings would come from eliminating the culture of departments working in isolation.
Deputy Parkinson (pictured) said that would be a major part of making the FSR work.
The report saw off an amendment placed by Deputy Matt Fallaize, and seconded by Education minister Carol Steere, which aimed to provide additional ‘clarity’ in the future governance structure in implementing the efficiency programme.
Deputy Fallaize felt that as it stood, the report was an attempt to emasculate the policy-making powers of departments, but this was disputed by Deputy Parkinson and a number of others, who said the implementation of the report and bringing about of policy associated with it was in no way an attempt to introduce a form of executive form of government.
The amendment was lost by 23 votes to 19.
Deputy Parkinson said: ‘I hope that the fears of executive government that seem to have taken over the debate will not be borne out in practice.’
He accepted that policy reports coming to the Assembly in future for the implementation of these efficiency savings would be Policy Council reports.
But he fully expected Chief Minister Lyndon Trott to pass over responsibility of presenting to the appropriate minister.
LADY ROWLAND will fight to save Guernsey’s NSPCC centre.
Speaking at the launch of the charity’s local Christmas card yesterday, the Bailiff’s wife said she was shocked at proposals to close the Bian V’nu centre at Park Street, St Peter Port.
‘When I heard the news I was absolutely floored,’ she said.
‘But we will make every effort to try and keep the centre open here in Guernsey.’
Lady Rowland is the treasurer of the NSPCC Ladies fund-raising committee, which is part of the Guernsey branch of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.
She has been a member of the committee since 1983.
‘I think the thing is it’s not for definite and the proposals have come after a strategic review,’ she said.
‘Until we know for sure we will carry on as we are.’
Lady Rowland is in charge of the house-to-house donation collections.
She said that if there was not a local centre, then many of the volunteers who gave up their time to do the collections would not be as keen to do it any more.
NSPCC executives have proposed closing the island’s centre because it wanted to focus on more populated areas in the UK.
Seven full-time staff stand to lose their jobs as well as five other part-time social workers.
Money raised by this year’s Christmas card will go towards the upkeep of the centre even if it has to close.
The centre cost £400,000 a year to run.
This year, 13,000 cards have been printed and the committee hopes to sell out.
‘Quite a high percentage of our fund-raising comes from the Christmas cards,’ said committee member Sue Warr.
‘General sales have gone down over the years, but whether that is to do with trends we don’t know.’
The cards usually raise around £4,000 to £5,000.
The painting on the front of this year’s is of an east view of St Martin’s Church in the snow with children playing outside.
Local artist Paul Killick painted the picture. He has provided the artwork for the NSPCC local Christmas cards for more than five years.
‘It has become a bit of a tradition and it is really good to be involved,’ he said.
‘Every year the committee give me a theme and then I go away and come up with a template and we go from there.’
n The Christmas cards are now on sale from Hansa, The Lexicon and Forest Stores. The cost is 40p for a small card and 80p for a large one. If anyone would like to buy a card or supply them in their shop they can contact Sue Warr on 246875. stostevin@guernsey-press.com
Article posted on 29th October, 2009 - 2.29pm
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