Monday 20 October 2014
Media enquiry from Guernsey Press:
Regarding the following statement in the budget, £340,000 from the Environment Department to the Public Services Department in respect of Meteorological Services; can the department please explain why this budget is being transferred to PSD, what the implications for Environment are, whether it is putting this down as an FTP saving, and if there are any impacts on staff numbers. This is not for tomorrow's paper, but if you could please reply by 3pm tomorrow (17th October), I would be grateful.
Environment Department's response:
The intention to transfer the contract to a more appropriate Department has existed for some time (We have previously explained this in a media response sent to you in January of this year reproduced in italics below for ease of reference).
The Public Services Department has agreed to take over the contract and the relevant budget sums have been transferred. The Environment Department has met and exceeded its FTP savings target without including Met Services. This is not considered to be a saving, simply a budget transfer.
Following a consultation exercise with States Departments, it was concluded that Community Meteorological Services provided by the Public Services Department's Meteorological Department and Jersey Meteorological Department remain beneficial to various Departments and the island generally.
However, the Environment Department has questioned whether it is best placed to manage these Community met services in the longer term and has requested that the Policy Council give consideration to the transfer of the service to the Public Services Department. This recognises the importance the Public Services Department places on Community met data but it also recognises that it is the Public Services Department that employs the staff that are qualified in delivering the met services. It is those staff that have the expertise to optimise the service delivery and manage and advise on future developments. The Public Services Department also owns and manages the met services facilities and equipment. The Public Services Department also carries out the met functions required to operate the airport and already has contracts with the Jersey Met service in this respect.
The Environment Department considers that there is no benefit delivered by the current arrangement whereby one States department contracts with another but it is that other department that has all the knowledge, experience, equipment, facilities and delivery ability. There is little if any added value in the Environment Department being involved in the procurement of Community met services from the Public Services Department and Jersey when those services are an integral element of the other met services provided by and managed by the Public Services Department.
Whilst the issue originated as a cost one, the review of the service delivery has highlighted the logic in rationalising the service delivery under one Department.
This is a unique situation and is different from other contracted out services where the Environment Department has the knowledge ability and expertise to set the policy and service delivery objectives and service levels but elects to contract out the actual labour rather than employing in house staff.
The total cost of the services for 2014 will be £337,900 which sum would be transferred to PSD if the movement of the service is agreed.
ENDS
