ON THE face of it, Treasury and Resources’ wording in the October Billet d’Etat regarding managing the Fundamental Spending Review was benign: the vision for delivery rests with the States, strategy and political oversight with the Policy Council and day-to-day accountability for delivery with a new body, the Financial Transformation Executive (FTE).

In reality, and as we explain in detail today, acceptance of that report by deputies has triggered what amounts to a bloodless coup in the way government does business, at least in the critical area of spending taxpayers’ money.

At a stroke, deputies and departments have delegated substantial amounts of authority to the Policy Council and its FTE ‘hit squad’ of the island’s five top civil servants.

What that means is departments and ministers will not be able to put their own narrow interests above those of saving money or of advancing corporate objectives.

No longer, as it relates to the Tribal reports, for example, will an Environment Department be able to block a paid parking scheme demanded by the States.

Instead, deputies having approved all the recommendations that should lead to savings of £70m. over five years, the ‘hit squad’ will make sure they happen, backed by the Policy Council.

Out go duplicated IT and HR departments, in comes proper performance management and an end to the civil service jobs for life mentality.

This is revolution but without, in the colourful language of one of the swat team, the blood and the corpses.

The coup, however, will be incremental. Although States members have delegated cabinet-like powers to the council and its officers, some matters will be taken to the Assembly even though there will be no need to.

The reason is that care needs to be exercised to prevent the States from being goaded into interfering once more so the more political decisions – perhaps changes to loss-making Beau Sejour’s opening hours – will go back to the Assembly.

There again, however, the relevant department will have lost its power to block such things from being debated.

Bloodless this revolution might be, but the benefits to the taxpayer will be profound.