Tuesday 27 August 2019
States Works has released its 2018 annual report and accounts.
It proudly demonstrates commitment and progress towards achieving its vision 'to deliver a return in the best interest of islanders, by achieving sustainable growth as a well-respected and trusted service provider, whilst maintaining our unique island identity'.
Earlier in 2018, the trading asset released its short term 2018-2020 business plan which reflects this vision and gives clear future focus to understanding its customers and informing future operational direction.
Specifically, this will be achieved by both the development of a 'target operating model' to inform a longer term business plan and a 'benchmarking and efficiency review' to help States Works understand how to deliver its services at the best value to islanders. These exercises began in 2018 and are expected to be completed by the end of this year.
The annual report also celebrates the diverse work that States Works and its staff carry out; from day to day operational activities such as emptying cess pits, collecting our waste and recycling and cleaning the roads and sewers to the provision of its emergency response resource which was heavily relied upon last year. When 'Storm Eleanor' and 'The Beast from the East' struck the island earlier in 2018, staff worked 24/7 with the emergency services and the Airport to perform significant clean-up operation to ensure the island was able to function as normally as possible.
Paul Lickley, General Manager of States Works said:
"Many of the activities States Works undertake are essential to keeping Guernsey operating but are often carried out unbeknown to a lot of our customers, with our hard working staff operating at all times of the day".
The report mentions the awards that were received last year for the land management work in St Peter Port and the innovative health and safety practices which reflect the efforts of staff that often work in difficult situations during unsociable hours.
Noting the stricter budgetary conditions that many of its clients must consider, the States Works management team have worked closely with both States of Guernsey and private clients to ensure that their service expectations were continued to be met and that frontline services were not affected by embracing smarter and more efficient processes and introducing technology to reduce unnecessarily manual processes. The management team are pleased to report that all major contract service obligations were met or exceeded.
Throughout 2018, States Works focused on seeking alternative revenue opportunities, including expanding waste and recycling collection services to more parishes and commercial customers. The business also worked hard successfully bidding to receive the contract to maintain and operate Guernsey's new Household Waste and Recycling Centre and Waste Transfer Station at Longue Hougue.
Mr Lickley said:
"Last year's financial performance was extremely pleasing. I'm also pleased to say that States Works has been able to contribute £1m to the overall returns being made by the wider Trading Assets to the States of Guernsey as part of the States' Medium Term Financial Plan".
