Guernsey States to debate reforming committee system

Among the proposed solutions are the creation of a treasury committee and additional oversight of spending

Guernsey's States will debate reviewing the structure of the island's government in early 2020.

Seven deputies have lodged a petition calling for a fresh look at the committee system of government, which was established in 2016.

The petition's authors said they are not trying to overturn the system, but to improve government efficiency.

Among the reforms proposed are the creation of a treasury committee and greater scrutiny over spending.

A 2015 review led to the creation of the senior political Policy and Resources Committee (P&R), six principal committees and a variety of new government institutions.

Deputy Heidi Soulsby, one of the petition's principal sponsors, said she does not believe the current system is "fatally flawed", but requires further reform.

Solutions proposed by the petition

• Creation of a distinct treasury to manage the island's finances

• Reintroduce a Public Accounts Committee for improved scrutiny of spending

• A new committee to manage the island's air and sea links, including Aurigny

• Reducing the size of committees

• The setting up Citizens' Assemblies to allow islanders greater say in policy and decision making

A recent examination of governance on the island concluded P&R was hampered by a "power vacuum" in the committee system.

Deputy Soulsby emphasised that the petition had come from experiences working with P&R as president of the Health and Social Care Committee, but it was not an "attack" on the members of the senior committee.

She added: "There are fundamental weaknesses to do with the working relationship between P&R and the principal committees."

"It's more about how the role of the committee has evolved over time and how things can be run more smoothly."