ORGANISATIONS supported by States grants should scrutinise themselves to make sure government is getting value for money, according to Deputy Barry Brehaut.
He was speaking after learning that £1.9m. of a £2.1m. grant from Health and Social Services to the Ambulance and Rescue Service goes towards staff costs.
That surprised him and he wanted all bodies that receive money from the States to put themselves under the same level of scrutiny that the States was now under.
‘We should not have any sacred cows here,’ he said. ‘A number of States departments support external bodies and these grants, under the current financial restraints of the States, should be scrutinised to make sure there is no financial wastage whatsoever.’
Deputy Brehaut (pictured), a member of Health and Social Services, made it clear that he was not just targeting Ambulance and Rescue.
‘What I am saying is that all organisations that receive money from the States should perhaps have a process like the Fundamental Spending Review,’ he said.
‘We need to overturn every stone we can to make absolutely sure there is no wastage.
‘All these agencies should do all that they can to make sure that they have the same belt tightening that the States has just had.
‘For example, I’m on the board of Guernsey Family Planning and that is supported by HSSD. Perhaps Guernsey Family Planning could look at things they do to see if there is any way they could save the States money.’
Ambulance and Rescue Service chief officer Jon Beausire said that the grant was regularly reviewed by HSSD and had been subject to two internal audits by the States of Guernsey.
‘The service had also been subject to the recent States of Guernsey Fundamental Spending Review, which reported that the grant was appropriate,’ he said.
‘The management and the board of the Ambulance and Rescue Service continue to take cost control very seriously and are constantly looking at ways of doing more with less without compromising the service and that process would continue in 2010.’
Deputy Treasury minister Jack Honeybill added: ‘Departments which make grants to external organisations are expected to satisfy themselves that the grants are being used for the purpose intended and to regularly review whether or not those grants should continue to be made,’ he said.
‘Any organisation in receipt of public monies, including by way of a grant, has a responsibility to ensure they are achieving value for money.’
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Article posted on 29th December, 2009 - 2.29pm
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