Jersey States spend £700k to save £400k per year

Senator Ozouf said the money would be given by the Treasury department to help other departments

Jersey's government will spend £700,000 to save £400,000 per year, according to the Treasury minister.

Senator Philip Ozouf said the spending was part of efforts to restructure some States departments to make them more efficient.

The chief ministers department, environment, health and the economic development departments will be restructured.

The £700,000 will be spent over the next two years.

Senator Ozouf said the idea of the spend was that it would result in savings.

He said he expected about £420,000 a year would be cut from budgets once the changes were made.

These include:

• The Environment Department has £140,000 to reduce the cost of file storage and introduce online planning applications.

• The Chief Minister's Department will get £62,000 to manage the introduction of a replacement HR system.

• Health and Social Services will get £127,000 to assist in a restructuring project

• The Economic Development Department will get £205,000 to set up the new independent body, Jersey Business

He said the savings were part of the target for spending cuts given to departments as part of the comprehensive spending review.