States spend £2million... to manage their purse better

Friday 24 August 2018

The States will be spending £2 million on a two-year contract with global professional services firm EY in a bid to modernise their "outdated" the way they spend.

The finance transformation programme aims to modernise how the States runs its finance operations by increasing efficiency, improving governance and effective financial management and getting rid of "wasteful duplication."

The finance programme is an essential component of the ‘one government’ transformation, which the Chief Executive, Charlie Parker, has pledged will save tens of millions of pounds from the cost of public service.

The programme, which will run to the end of 2019, was identified as a priority following an in-house review. The review recommended a number of changes to strengthen financial management, improve corporate performance and accountability, and to drive a commercial approach that delivers best value for money from suppliers.

Pictured: The finance changes come as part of States Chief Charlie Parker's 'One Government' reforms that aim to rid the States of "wasteful duplication."

Reports from both the Comptroller and Auditor General, and Scrutiny also recommended changes to the way public finances were managed across the public sector.

The programme will combine advisors from EY, who were chosen after a tender, with in-house finance specialists. This approach aims to offer "both best value for money and provides for skills and knowledge transfer from EY specialists to States finance staff."

Deputy Susie Pinel, Treasury and Resources Minister, said: “The root-and-branch reform of our outdated finance system is long overdue. All governments need effective financial planning and accountable financial management, to ensure that taxpayers’ money is being spent wisely, so this programme is a critical component of the modernisation of our public services, and its cost will be repaid many times over in future savings.”