‘Scrap PC sub-groups to rein in expenditure’

Wednesday 19th May 2010, 2:29PM BST.

Shane Langlois POLICY Council sub-groups must be scrapped if the States is to seize control of its soaring expenditure, according to some ‘backbench’ deputies.

They blamed the sub-groups for much of the States overspend, calling them an unnecessary layer that reduced the accountability of departmental boards and ministers and confused the role of the Policy Council.

Deputy Shane Langlois (pictured) said the Policy Council must shrink to bring the financial discipline that the chief minister and Treasury minister have called for.

‘There are flaws in our system that need correcting, in particular the diffuse nature of policy formulation,’ he said.

‘A structure of Policy Council sub-groups sitting on top of 10 departments is far too nebulous.