Guernsey spending cuts survey results being analysed

The sub-committee is tasked with saving between £10m and£16m every year for five years

Changes to taxes, benefits and restructuring were among public suggestions on how to cut between £50m and £80m from public service funding over five years.

Guernsey's Reducing the Cost of Public Services sub-committee is tasked with saving between £10m and £16m every year for five years.

A survey asked islanders and public sector employees for their views.

The States said the results were being analysed.

Deputy Sasha Kazantseva-Miller added: "Ultimately this exercise has been about involving the community to unearth good and effective ways of reducing the cost of public services, which may not necessarily be the most popular."

Among the public, suggestions around tax made up 24% of the responses, with restructuring and rationalisation at 16%, and changes to benefits making up 10% of responses.

Meanwhile, 26% of public sector employees suggested restructuring, while 17% said tax changes.

Ms Kazantseva-Miller added: "The themes that are emerging are interesting, but there's still a lot of work to do to analyse the many suggestions."

She said engagement would also continue with States members and committees.

'Very significant reductions'

She said the Policy & Resources committee was committed to making recommendations to the States Assembly to deliver these "very significant reductions in costs" to make Guernsey's public finances "sustainable again for future generations".

The public had been asked to suggest ways to generate income, restructure services and reduce access to services to offset a £100m-a-year shortfall for public services forecast by 2040, it said.

The States said 637 people responded to the survey, submitting 1,416 suggestions, which would be reviewed and scored and then considered for taking forward.

The surveys are one part of the sub-committee's broader engagement with stakeholders, the States said.

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