In a speech given this lunchtime to the members of the Jersey Chamber of Commerce, the Chief Minister, Senator John Le Fondré, announced that the States of Jersey would make £30 million of savings in 2019.
The Chief Minister said: “As the Treasury Minister announced on Monday in the draft Budget, the forecasts point to a structural deficit in our public finances of up to £30-40 million by 2020-23 unless we take action. So we are taking action.”
“In 2019, to bridge this forecast gap between our expenditure and our revenues, the public service will make sustainable savings totaling £30 million. These are not one-off efficiencies, but a permanent reduction to the costs of the public service. These savings have been identified through the due diligence work that has been going on during the year, and are the first tranche of efficiencies that will be delivered by the One Government modernisation programme that the Chief Executive of the States is leading.”
“Some of those savings will be achieved through a permanent reduction in the size of the States’ workforce – and I should point out that the States is currently carrying around 600 vacancies, and has a staff turnover rate of 12%, so responsible headcount management is a realistic and pragmatic approach. The remainder of the savings will be achieved as a result of modernising the States – by improving processes, better commercial contract management, consolidating assets, stopping the duplication of effort, and through the digitisation and automation of routine tasks and services.”
“This is only the start, as over coming weeks, we will refine our work on efficiencies for 2020-23. I anticipate that the Treasury Minister will provide an update on those in her Budget speech in December.”
States of Jersey Press Release