From Senator Ben Shenton, chairman, Public Accounts Committee.
WE have had the shroud waving, causing unnecessary distress, and the predictable u-turn on spending cuts.
 
However, it would be wrong for me, as a politician, to object to a necessary reduction in States spending without investigating alternative remedies.

When the Chief Minister informed me that he did not want me to continue as Health Minister – a massive job that would have been almost impossible without full Council of Ministers support – I decided to concentrate on the work of the Public Accounts Committee, albeit this letter is written in an independent capacity.

I know, from my short tenure as a politician, that there is waste throughout the States, including Health, and savings that can be made without affecting front-line services.
The Council of Ministers cynically used the Patient Transport Service as a method to cut spending, even though many are dependent on it.

So let’s use the Ambulance Service as an example of where the excesses are – albeit that many departments in the States have similar excesses, including Deputy Reed, Education.
I should point out that I have nothing but praise for the paramedics and other front line staff, and this letter is no reflection on them.

When the Ambulance Service was asked to cut costs, the response was to hit the vulnerable, elderly and sick.

In the management’s opinion, the Ambulance Service is so tightly and efficiently run that they cannot make savings other than in the front line.

However, these are the facts. The Chief Officer and his Assistant Chief Officer claim a very lucrative stand-by payment, which they claim is essential in case of a major incident, notwithstanding that we now have mobile phones and bleeps, and the fact that we last had a major incident in Jersey 50 years ago.

Ironically, the Acting Chief Officer is not qualified to act as Gold Commander in the event of a major incident, but picks up the stand-by payment anyway. Why his position warrants a £20,000 car, pension arrangements far superior to those for a similar position in the UK, and a stand-by allowance is beyond me, especially as all the other ambulance staff would all be called out in the event of a major incident.

The four Station Officers work predominately 9 to 5 in the office, yet get paid a lucrative ‘rotating shift allowance.’ I could go on, because there is more, but I believe I’ve made my point.

As a taxpayer, I want my money to go predominantly to the front line, to assist those that genuinely warrant help. Too often, politicians call for cuts without pointing out where they can be made, yet their job is to find solutions.

Too often the States throw money at problems because they do not have the appetite to make those difficult decisions – add fat to cover areas of  incompetence – and time and time again we let them get away with it.

We cannot afford to continue to operate in this way and it about time the Council of Ministers realised that spin achieves little at the end of the day.
The public expects higher standards, and action.