States to stop wasting taxpayers’ money…
Friday 27th March 2009, 2:30PM GMT.
THE culture of the States wasting taxpayers’ money will end, Treasury minister Charles Parkinson pledged yesterday.
Departments face the challenge of saving £45m. in the next three years – and more after that.
A damning report by consultant Tribal Helm, commissioned by Treasury, has highlighted a ‘culture of profligacy’ and duplication in the States.
To help make the savings happen, the department will take a report to the States in the summer that would make working guidelines on finance, property, IT and procurement mandatory.
‘Once the States has agreed to this process it does mean departments acknowledging a level of discipline they have never previously been subjected to. Once we have political support, we can start to create the rules that will drive out these inefficiencies,’ said Deputy Parkinson (pictured).
He acknowledged that to some extent they had always known the States was in the dark about its workings and the consultant had shown where reporting had fallen down, he said. Tribal Helm is now working on the next stage of the review, which will highlight specific savings.
It will finish that report in June and Deputy Parkinson said the public needed that to be published ‘warts and all’.
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£45million is more than I expected. Obvious cynicism aside. The whole island needs to get behind Treasury and Mr Parkinson and support his proposals.
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In other news Porcine Airways announce new Guernsey link.
Forgive me for sounding jaded but I’m having a bout of Deja Moo(the feeling I’ve heard this BS before).
States to stop wasting taxpayers money? I’ll believe it when I see it happening, NOT just when a report is released saying it SHOULD happen.
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£15 million savings a year.
If senior officers were told they would lose their jobs if they failed to identify and achieve the savings, then the targets would be met. Tough times demand tough conditions.
As the Tribal Helm report is effectively saying the senior civil servants have failed, lets start with cutting their salaries.
One thing about having a Charles Parkinson at the helm of TR is that he will know all the tricks that departments will try, and so ensure any savings are real and not imaginary paper savings.
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Then children the nice man will read you some fairy tales from his enormous book of fairy tales,
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At least CP is not making excuses and ducking responsibility. I wonder whether the same would have been true if LT was still Treasury minister? (You do not need to answer that)
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When will we ever see a link on the home page of http://www.gov.gg website to tenders – what is play and what has been awarded? If you visit Islington Council for example you will find council tender info in great detail and this is the norm for UK council websites in my experience. Our civil service needs to open up if it is going to win over hearts and minds and by showing us the cheques they write out and suppliers they employ this will focus the mind on value for money.
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Stephen I couldnt agree more. However I fear that we are about to be reminded once again that our senior civil servants are actually unaccountable to anybody. I think the Guernsey Press may well have to name and shame and hound those departments who resist as that is likely to have more impact.
There are many former civil servants out there who would I am sure be happy to spill the beans with stories of practices carried out by their former employer.
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As soon as I saw the word ‘consultant’ my ears pricked up. They are the biggest waste of money.
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As I’ve said elsewhere, the States does not need new guidelines or additional powers; there is no need to delay while awaiting more reports.
The heads of departments – political and civil service – just need to do their jobs properly. They already know what’s wrong and if they don’t they should go now. What they need is the courage to enforce the sort of controls and behaviour that private businesses have to go by as a matter of routine.
The most obvious, but probably not the only, things they can do is:
reduce the lines of command by dispensing with (making redundant) so many intermediate managers;
agreeing tight budgets with senior managers and demanding explanations for any failures;
stopping the toleration of overmanning and spanish practices (which can be found in most departments) – yes people will have to be sacked;
stop signing supply and other contracts which ensure the States will be responsible for any over-runs.
It seems ridiculous that the States organisation needs lessons in such simple principles but the Tribal Helm report indicates that they do.
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Well surely the buck should stop with a) the politicians and b) the most senior civil servant who has been in post for years and years and seemingly changed little. I know some civil servants who are becoming very disillusioned: they put forward ideas to save money and streamline services and they are ignored.
There is currently some sort of compulsory training on ‘developing the public sector’ which staff are being forced to attend. The general consensus so far from those i have spoken to is that they thought it a complete waste of time and was just management gobbledegook . We don’t need to ‘think outside the box’ or do ‘blue sky thinking’ etc. We need people with common sense and a rounded view of the island and its needs, experience of how to lead teams and get the best out of people. We have many good managers around already who know where the problems are, they just need to be given a chance to lead change. Many have already become so disillusioned that they have left and transferred to the private sector where their skills have been recognised, rewarded and enhanced.
I too, think that most but not all ‘consultants’ are a waste of money. Incredibly some are ex-civil servants who didn’t do a decent job when they were employed in the public sector; but are now being paid a substantial amount of money to spout forth in the role of consultant, often criticising the very services they were responsible for setting up in the first place! If people want to know who the effective people are then speak to the staff on the shop floor – not the senior staff who are, after all, just looking after their own jobs. Turkeys never have and never will vote for Christmas.
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Ted says it all
“The heads of departments – political and civil service – just need to do their jobs properly. They already know what’s wrong and if they don’t they should go now. What they need is the courage to enforce the sort of controls and behaviour that private businesses have to go by as a matter of routine”.
Do they have the ability?
Do they have the courage?
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Merlin has it spot on.
The shop floor staff will know where the more immediate savings can be made.
Introduce a ‘suggestion box’ system …. dump all the ‘get rid of management’and other frivolous suggestions and REWARD the good practical ideas with say 10% of the actual savings made after one calendar year.
It would soon be taken seriously if those at the coalface saw that a colleaugue had collected a £10,000 reward for saving his department £100,000 in one year.
The tax payer wouldn’t lose that 10K , they would be gaining 90K.
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As I said in another message – they need a Senior person to manage their corporate Governance and I know of someone who would step into the role gladly…..
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Hmmn – but is this person part of the alleged inner circle of protected people for whom no blame ever seems to be attributed to their inability to do their jobs properly?
cynical …. moi?
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Merlin cynical? no
Realist – Yes.
The report can only be seen as a testimony to ongoing people failure.
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Perhaps they can start by cutting the number of Deputies? I cannot believe in an island this small we need so many.
In the UK there is approximately one MP per 90,000 people. In Guernsey we have 45 elected Deputies (+ 2 Law Officers) so approximately one Deputy per 1300 people. I appreciate that a direct comparison between the two is unworkable but surely there is a good case for reduction to say 30?
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I agree that the public sector should be rewarded for cost cutting and efficiencies.
Given the culture of reporting through top down processes I don’t see an easy way of this working, especially as anything that would potentially disove a position would likely to be ignored. Pratting around with percentages on cheaper biros or paper would not be the kind of savings that the taxpayer would want to see.
There will also be politically sensitive areas where the pubic are ignored so what hope a civil servant worried about his or her position? Example being any of the GHA developments. Dave Jones will tell you that 22 hosues needed to be knocked in Victoria Avenue yet 11 elsewhere built at exactly the same time can be done up? Now without stating the bleeding obvious what civil servant that demonstrates this insanity will be rewarded by pointing out something that’s been done to ensure the Guernsey building industry gets a few choice jobs over the years.
The real waste is burgeoning services and I don’t mean health (that will mean redundancy of positions and therefore jobs) , Educations slavish adherence to anything that comes out of the UK, our insistance on making laws and regulatiosn every week and overly specced building projects.
Many of these wastages potentially mean slimming down the management and back room – that’s job losses to you and me. Ensuring that we pick and choose waht we take out of the UK and not use that as an excuse to justify a position – that’s job losse to you and me. Slimming down and reforming the prison and legal system – that’s job losses to you and me. And finally exposing the GHA for what it is and, essentially, not supporting the practical monopolistic building industry which includes certain families, certain well conected owners of shipping operations and suppliers – that’s taking on the the ‘establishment to you and me.
Anyone betting men or women? Paperclips siply aren’t good enough and I nigh on guarantee that the self employing civil servants, the legal establishment, and the established names have zero intention of letting loose their grip on their comfortable positions.
I have never been one for conspiracies or scare mongering but I predit that within the next 4 or 5 years an amount of civil unrest. Seriously Ido.
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I cannot see why anyone, who is on the payroll, should get any further bonus, for that is what it amounts to.
They are paid to do a job; they accepted that when they were voted in;
Let then now stick to the agreement and lets have no more of this expense sheets, for it gives me the sheets to hear these amateurs trying to outwit even bigger amateurs.
Enough is more than enough. get on with the job you were elected to do, or get out. and stop your whining, it would seem to outsiders that we are governed by a load of WIMPS
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Stephen John – the report can only be seen as an indicator of efficiencies that can be made in a system that is already much better than anywhere else.
Jackie – I think you may be watching too many soap operas
Eric – it would appear that most of the whining is coming from you and your kind
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Cliff
Your comment “the report can only be seen as an indicator of efficiencies that can be made in a system that is already much better than anywhere else” simply reflects the attitude of so many in public service.
Not much comfort for the poor taxpayer who has to finance the waste, the excuse for which is “we don’t waste as much as elsewhere”
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cliff
you may be right; but then again I have just reason to do so.
So where do you fit in Guernsey or foreign to mour fair shores, (foreign meaning other than Guernsey.)
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>>Jackie – I think you may be watching too many soap operas<<
I’ve lived in one for nigh on 30 odd years ;)
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Jackie is being unduly pessimistic – I hope. For a long time companies in the finance industry have been moaning about lack of people to employ. A few redundant civil servants would solve their problem.
Although I’m not sure civil servants can be made redundant – staff savings will have to be made in other ways. Nevertheless a cut back in civil service recruiting will mean more people available for other work.
I am not going to be unduly critical of Charles Parkinson because I have high regard for him, but I am quite amused to see him in charge of a report advocating substantial savings after his many comments around the time of the last election that there was little to be saved.
I’m afraid that local politicians pay too much attention to complacent senior civil servants.
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Eric
I’m Guernsey through and through (all 4 grandparents local too) which is why I think we should be talking ourselves up. Yes there is a lot to put right but most things are done well. Despite the problems we are very lucky. Remember most people in the world are living in conditions that really give them something to moan about.
David Cranch
I agree Parkinson is definately the man for the job. If only his amendment on 0/10 had gone through.
Civil servants can be made redundant and the myth that they are unsackable is just that. Any staff that don’ t meet their duties will be dismissed, albeit a bit slower than would happen in the private sector. Most would rather have this changed though so it would be easier to sort out the ones not pulling their weight.
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Glad to hear that you are of the right ‘stock’
however about those less fortunate; think about it; think about who made it SO the world over.
I could think of all the wrong things that have come to lightn in my life time, what about hundred years ago: Those respåonsible for much of the worlds problems.
One nhears about the wicked Russians; I’ve met and lived with them, what you hear is propoganda. You hear the Chinese are copying, any wonder, who made them a country of drug addicts, and so it goes on. No Cliff look around look it nup read about it. The Empire was a shocking state of affairs.
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A cost no problem culture turned around just like that and led from the top by a man who has no fresh ideas and little experience in Realpolitik; I don’t think so. Deputies and all gone are the days of milk and honey; live up to your electorate expectations not your own.
When it takes a £350k study to tell us what we all know then a deputy who has been in the seat of power for some time to react it tells us all we need to know – until there is a reportable political structure in the Island there can be no accountability.
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