Why does Jersey pay 60% more to run the States than Guernsey? No-one seems to know…

Wednesday 16 December 2015

Last month it was revealed that every Islander pays £3,419 more to run our government than our neighbours pay in Guernsey – and now it turns out that the Chief Minister has asked States departments why.

The report by States cost-cutting consultant Kevin Keen – who has since quit his job and taken on a role at Durrell – revealed the difference between the costs of government.

His figures show that the cost per Islander of running the States of Jersey is £9,307, while the cost per Islander of running the States of Guernsey is £5,907.

A response to the report from Chief Minister Ian Gorst says that it’s down to different funding rules for big services including benefits, health and sewage.

But he says that he’s asked States departments to look into it to understand exactly why the costs are so different.

The response from Senator Gorst was: “It is difficult to make meaningful comparisons between different jurisdictions without examining differences in the funding and provision of services.

“For instance, the islands’ health systems use different funding models, Jersey’s sewage system and Energy from Waste plant differ from Guernsey’s waste disposal methods, and benefits in the islands are paid from different sources.

“So I have asked departments to look into Mr Keen’s report in detail to understand the differences he highlights.

“This exercise will inform the ongoing reform programme and help us to ensure the organisation is working at its optimum level to provide the services islanders need.”