Deputy Garry Collins is suggesting the States change the make up of its committees to force deputies into focusing on their work.
In his second term in office, after a near ten year gap, he said he has noticed that States Members are spread too thinly across the multiple committees, boards, and authorities, with too many conflicting priorities.
He thinks a shake up of the system could ensure they focus on what really needs to be done – which for him includes making a decision once and for all on the island’s future tax systems.
“Currently we have 31 members of the 40-person assembly on the senior or Principal Committees, an increase of five positions from the last term, due to the introduction of the new Committee for Housing, with only Policy and Resources members not allowed on other Principal Committees,” he explained.
“This means nine members are involved on two committees, including one president on two committees.
“In other governments you would generally be given just one role to focus on,” he added.
Deputy Collins has come up with a “quick fix solution” which he wants to take to the States, for a debate, so changes can be made immediately.
His plan involves reducing the number of deputies on the Principal Committees from five to three, with each Deputy only able to serve on one committee.
The roles available for each Principal Committee would be President, Vice President, and Finance Lead.
He also wants to put one more Deputy on Policy and Resources – separating the roles out to ensure there is a President, Vice President and External Lead, Digital and IT Lead, Finance and Treasury Lead, Property Lead, and Human Resources Lead. This way the work load of the senior committee would be shared allowing each member to focus on priority areas, he said.
Deputy Collins also wants to increase the number of members on Scrutiny. There are currently three, and he thinks it should go up to seven or even nine, to ensure the States is working as well as it can.
“In my view this would focus members on one main committee,” he explained.
“It would mean 27 members from the assembly would be on the senior committee or Principal Committees, so two thirds would be involved in the day-to-day work.
“Clearly there are the other important roles, on authorities, planning, transport, the States Assembly & Constitution Committee, States Trading Supervisory Board, which already has just three States Members and two non-States Members who can vote.”
Deputy Collins said any joint committee meetings currently involve getting 20+ people around a table, which is unworkable.
“This term we have arranged a few joint committee meetings, with five deputies on each, plus two non-States Members, we are taking about meetings of 14 people, before you have officers, so often we have 20 plus people meeting. That in my view that doesn’t work well at committee/board level
“It’s just an idea at this stage,” he acknowledged.
“I would need to bring a requete and a resolution to terminate all positions on a set date and have elections again, but this would give that chance for members to move around, as on day one we elect people into roles, but sometimes you don’t even know the person, at one year in members know each other and their capabilities.
“It’s a solution if one is required, however I am very keen as an assembly we focus on the one major problem this term needs to resolve, the tax strategy.”
Deputy Collins was already working on his plan to shuffle the States to force a focus on key issues before the news broke last weekend that Deputy Gavin St Pier had been arrested for a second time. He now intends to resign from his seat on Policy and Resources and re-stand for election to it.
He told Express that this situation has made him more determined to encourage his political colleagues to focus on the work they need to do.
“I raised with the President of Policy and Resources, do some members have too much on their shoulders and is everyone in the right places, as we seem to have lots of unhappy members, the example used, was the resources lead, currently held by Deputy St Pier. It seems to have a big mandate and I highlighted some areas of concern on one shoulders, especially around property management and I questioned should government roles be more focused. For example on boards you have different director roles for finance, commercial, marketing, digital, etc. depending on the needs of the organisation.”
“It was a good discussion,” he added.
Deputy Collins said his determination to force focus within the States grew stronger after Deputy Lee van Katwyk announced on social media that he is aware of at least three States Members being unhappy and currently thinking about resigning.
“I am now really concerned about this term,” Deputy Collins admitted.
“Whilst only 10 months in, to be facing some major challenges with some members questioning if they even want to be members, I can see why, with the major bomb dropping problems that seem to come each week.
“Personally I have thought about how different this term is compared to my first term in 2012-2016, also having been a civil servant between 2000 and 2007 in the older larger committee system and having seen larger assemblies, I can see why we have problems.
“We have reduced our numbers, but have now had three or four elections with about half the assembly turned over each time. That’s a lot of experience lost each time. Each new term members are reshuffled and there’s lots of new learning each time on how the States operates. It’s a lot to get your head around, as it’s 20 businesses rolled into one.”
