WHAT at first sight appears to be a simple spat between the Policy Council and the House Committee – over how members are appointed to sub-groups – has the potential to become a divisive issue and one that could damage the ability of the House to work effectively over the next four years.

The dilemma is neatly summed up in the committee chairman’s attack on the council: ‘I think they are going power crazy. Some ministers are on five sub-groups. It’s ridiculous when you have 47 members in the States and some of those subject areas might interest them.’

It is a view that a number of deputies share. Because the groups are interdepartmental, they have a significant influence on formulating policy and can help marginalise an out-of-step department. Having these working parties dominated by ministers merely makes the reach of the Policy Council that much greater.

The other subtext of the complaint by House and others is that by being elected as a deputy, a member should be virtually guaranteed a committee or board role.

Yet as the previous States demonstrated, government has to be about teamwork. From the Policy Council’s point of view, it needs members on the sub-groups who follow a common purpose, can act corporately and support the Government Business Plan.

Selecting its own members is one way of ensuring that. Throwing it open to the States as a whole to tinker with provides the opportunity for someone to be appointed simply because he or she hasn’t enough to do or – possibly – for more disruptive reasons.

Perhaps more significantly, an independent report into the adequacy of the island’s planning system has suggested that one way of cutting across departments not toeing the line – exemplified by the previous Environment over Les Nicolles Schools traffic and ‘Fred in a shed’ industrial land – was to give more power to the Strategic Land Planning Group.

After the last four years, this States needs to engage with islanders and show that it can be joined up.

Having half the House trying to resist Policy Council efforts to ensure that coordination is achieved is that last thing anyone needs.