What is Guernsey's government work plan?
BBCGuernsey's States has agreed to prioritise reforming the island's tax system, clearing Leale's Yard, developing a new model for health, updating the island's harbours and focussing on families with young children.
Policy and Resources' (P&R) government work plan for this political term, which ends in 2029, recieved the support of the majority of deputies.
The States has also agreed to launch a review of the senior management of the civil service, a renewed focus on economic growth and to make savings across the States.
Deputies also endorsed plans to report on the progress of the major projects portfolio, and to do away with in principle the annual government work plan States meetings.
What are the States 'super priorities'?
Deputies endorsed five "super priorities" for this political term, a phrase coined by Policy and Resources member Deputy Charles Parkinson.
Those five "super priorities" are:
- Decide and deliver tax reform
- Clear and commence site development at Leale's Yard
- Agree and advance a sustainable health and care system
- Shape and strengthen the focus on early years and families
- Determine and design future harbours infrastructure
However, there are other workstreams which have been approved by the States, in nodding through the government work plan (GWP).
Those include a review of the funding of higher education, which is already under way, a review of the number of deputies and the creation of a culture, leisure and heritage strategy.
Was there much opposition to the plan?
The GWP faced some criticism for not focussing on "the right things", with its "super priorities".
Deputy Neil Inder said he was pleased that the current GWP was briefer than previous iterations, but was disappointed the plan did not contain a focus on spending reduction.
He said because this was not apparent in the plan he would vote against it.
Scrutiny Management Committee President Andy Sloan criticised the decision to reject plans for progress updates on the GWP.
He said Deputy Goy's amendment would have been "a step in the right direction towards clarity, accountability, and credibility".
Which proposals to change the GWP were successful?
P&R's proposals were subject to 11 amendments from deputies, with only nine being laid in the States during the final debate.
One was rejected, from Deputy David Goy, which aimed to force P&R and other committees to publish progress on the government work plan.
However a compromise proposal from P&R means the States will now provide reports on the progress of the major projects portfolio, which centres on major building projects.
Significantly Deputy Marc Laine's move to launch a review of the senior leadership team of the States of Guernsey was accepted unanimously, and will now mean the States chief executive will lead that project.
Three proposals from Deputy Haley Camp were approved by deputies, with two having the support of the island's chief minister, who seconded the motions.
They instructed the States to consider economic growth and the impact on the island's economy when formulating policies during this political term.
The other was to agreee to establishing a programme of zero-based budgeting within the States - that recieved 35 votes from deputies.
Deputy Sally Rochester's amendment forcing the States to add a workstream to the GWP titled "Responding to the needs of the island's young people" was approved by politicians.
A move to create a States of Guernsey strategy focussed on AI was also approved by deputies.
A proposal spearheaded by two members of Forward Guernsey, Deputies Rhona Humprheys and Tom Rylatt to cut States budgets was approved by politicians.
It instructed the States to target 1% savings - which Deputy Humphreys said was about £20m across the next three years.
Do politicians think savings can be made?
A number of committee presidents spoke out about how they would struggle to make budget cuts, despite supporting the proposals.
Health and Social Care Committee President was one of them: "Healthcare spending is a very high proportion of our taxation burden and we need to do something about it.
"To actually produce a one percent drop in real term, is going to be very difficult indeed.
"User pays is something which is coming in some form or other and this Assembly will have to make a decision about it."
Laine said he thought it was unlikely the States would manage to deliver the savings targetted.
He told deputies in his role overseeing the States IT projects he was expecting more unexpected costs to come down the line in coming years.
Former Agilysis engineer Deputy David Goy said he had experience of how these cuts programmes works and said he could not support the proposals as they would lead to cuts at the bottom, rather than to management.
Can deputies work on things outside the GWP?
Yes, every politician in Guernsey's States has the ability to bring forward requêtes that could add to the workload for the government.
The GWP effectively just sets out what has been scheduled for work up to mid-2029.
Already Deputy Marc Leadbeater has said he is set to launch a move to investigate the legalisation of cannabis, a workstream which was not approved in the GWP.
It is also expected that Deputy Gavin St Pier will bring proposals to the States this term to look at the legalisation of assisted dying in Guernsey.
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