Gov 'super-department' gets ANOTHER rebrand

Wednesday 29 March 2023

In another move towards erasing the legacy of Charlie Parker's 'OneGov' regime, one of the Government's largest departments is undergoing its third rebrand in just five years.

The Government announced today that the Infrastructure, Housing and Environment Department has been renamed once again — a change which the government says will "more accurately reflect the responsibilities, remit and duties of its workforce of approximately 700 people".

With housing work now being coordinated by the government’s new Cabinet Office, the department will now be called Infrastructure and Environment (I&E).

The department was first created in 2018 - then known as Growth, Housing and Island Environment (GHE) - when Chief Executive Charlie Parker instigated the largest ever shake-up of public sector. He said the 'OneGov' regime change would make the departments more joined up in their thinking and therefore more efficient.

Described as a 'super-department', it originally brought together the previously separate departments of Environment, Housing, Infrastructure and Economic Development, which each had their own Minister in charge.

Pictured: The GHE department was first created as part of the OneGov structure proposed by Charlie Parker.

But it quickly became apparent that not all the functions sat well together, with the then-Economic Development Minister Senator Farnham suggesting in 2019 that work to do with the economy should be removed from the mix.

That suggestion was acted on in early 2020, with a decision taken to create a separate 'Economy' function, sitting within the Office of the Chief Executive.

With the 'Growth' (economy) section having left, GHE's name was then changed to Infrastructure, Housing and Environment (IHE) in late 2020.

Today's change removes Housing from the department, leaving just Infrastructure and Environment.

Infrastructure alone has gone through several rebrands, having been known as Transport and Technical Services (TTS) and, before that, Public Works.

Announcing the new name for the 'super-department', the government explained that the Infrastructure and Environment department now has two clearly defined Ministerial Delivery Plans, two heads of expenditure (funding pots) in the Government Plan, and colleagues have a straightforward reporting pathway into either the Minister for Infrastructure or the Minister for Environment.

Pictured: Infrastructure and Environment Chief Officer, Andy Scate.

Housing and regeneration work now sits within the newly formed Cabinet Office, which the government says places "housing right at the heart of the organisation".

Government officials emphasised that there will be no, or very limited, costs to the rename as the majority of existing IHE templates are digital, and most assets are branded 'Government of Jersey' rather than departmentally. Any printed signage will be replaced when it comes to the natural end of its lifespan.

Infrastructure and Environment Chief Officer, Andy Scate commented: "This name change makes perfect sense, as our day-to-day work in the department very much falls into two Ministerial portfolios, rather than three.

"Most colleagues working on housing issues are in strategic policy and planning roles, which are being brought into the new Cabinet Office, and those officers continue to work closely with the Minister for Housing and Communities, as they have done for many years.

"For clarity, the Housing Gateway and housing support colleagues based within Customer and Local Services remain there, and there is no change for them. The regulatory functions linked to rented dwellings, Rent Safe, and housing nuisance, will still be run through I&E. In fact, there are no changes to reporting structures at all as a result of this name change."

Welcome to Infrastructure and Environment (I&E).

From today we’ve got a new department name, as IHE becomes I&E.

Housing policy sits right at the heart of @GovJersey in the new Cabinet Office.

Read more: https://t.co/ONCDLIFefk pic.twitter.com/vbCTlgmF7E

— Infrastructure and Environment (@GovJsyIE) March 29, 2023

Housing Minister Deputy David Warr added: "The IHE department rename will make things clearer for colleagues and the public.

"It formally demonstrates that we believe the housing function best sits centrally, where we can coordinate this vital Government work on behalf of our communities."