A PUBLIC sector complaints process based on the existing voluntary panel will probably be as effective and provide better value than the appointment of a paid ombudsperson, the Chief Minister has said.
Speaking at a Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel hearing yesterday, Deputy Lyndon Farnham gave the strongest indication yet that the government would seek to overturn a States decision made six years ago to create the new post, and instead keep the States Complaints Panel.
In April he notified the States that the new government was reconsidering the creation of the ombudsperson in the face of fears it could cost more than 拢1 million a year, some 拢600,000 more than is currently set aside.
Questioned by St Mary Constable David Johnson, the Chief Minister said that as soon as a review which is currently taking place 鈥 involving consultation with the States Greffe and the Privileges and Procedures Committee 鈥 had been concluded, the Council of Ministers would make a final decision and revert to the States Assembly with proposals.
However, Mr Johnson suggested that the review centred on financial considerations and ignored the conclusions of the Law Commission and a previous States Assembly which had, in 2018, approved the creation of the ombudsperson.
Deputy Farnham denied that he was only taking costs into account.
He said: 鈥淲e must always look at everything we do, not be complacent about anything when it comes to how we finance it. We have a duty as States Members 鈥 as a government 鈥 to do that, to try to provide the best value for money. But I said the objective for this government is to make sure we have an appropriate complaints service that is understood by the public, easily accessible to the public and something that has more authority or teeth than it has now. That鈥檚 the prime objective. Second to that is the cost. If we can achieve that at a lower cost, then we are likely to be recommending that we enhance the existing service.鈥
The exchange produced the one heated moment in the hour-and-a-half-long meeting when Deputy Jonathan Renouf pursued the issue of cost, beginning a question with the words 鈥渨ould it not be more honest to say, right upfront鈥.
But he was interrupted by the Chief Minister: 鈥淗ang on a minute. Don鈥檛 accuse me of dishonesty please. The bottom line is that we just take a different opinion and we are investigating it.鈥
Asked directly whether he would bring a rescindment proposition to overturn the 2018 decision if new arrangements were advanced, Deputy Farnham confirmed that he would. 鈥淲e respect decisions of the Assembly and if we are going to seek to change one we will come back to the Assembly.鈥
You can read more in the Saturday Interview on pages 10 and 11 of this weekend’s JEP.
