Tuesday 11 August 2020
The Policy & Resources Committee is asking the States of Deliberation to agree new proposals for improving living standards.
The States are next week due to debate proposals on this important area of policy, which the Committee submitted in March, shortly before the escalation of COVID-19. To bring its proposals up-to-date, the Committee has today [11/08/2020] lodged an Amendment asking the States to agree revised Propositions that reflect the impacts of the pandemic and lockdown and align with the 'Revive and Thrive' Recovery Strategy agreed by the States last month.
To accompany its updated proposals, the Committee has also published a supporting report on the impact on community wellbeing of the COVID-19 pandemic. It presents some of the data gathered in the recent Bailiwick Community Survey. Analysis of the Community Survey data is still being undertaken ahead of publication of the final results, and it is important to emphasise that the supporting report published today by the Committee does not represent the final results of the Community Survey, and therefore should be considered as provisional. Nevertheless, these provisional findings indicate that COVID-19 and the lockdown that accompanied the pandemic has had a significant impact on wellbeing, both positively and negatively, in a wide range of areas.
The Committee's Original Propositions for improving living standards sought to establish in the Future Guernsey Plan a new policy priority, under which the States would work towards achieving the following vision statement: To provide an environment which supports those in our community most at risk of deprivation and gives them the opportunity to thrive.
The context in which the States will debate these proposals has changed significantly since the Committee published its Original Propositions, following the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent adoption by the States of the 'Revive and Thrive' Recovery Strategy as the framework governing the scope of future initiatives of the States for a three year period.
The Committee remains of the view that the States should agree to work towards this vision for improving living standards, and has therefore submitted the Amendment to make a technical change to the future management of this proposed area of policy development.
If carried, the Amendment would direct the Committee to incorporate in the scope of the Recovery Action Plans for the Recovery Strategy, the vision and objectives set out in the 'Improving Living Standards' Policy Letter.
Deputy Jane Stephens, member of the Policy & Resources Committee said:
"The provisional findings of the Community Survey, although not yet finalised, show that the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown has had a significant impact on the wellbeing of our community. That's no surprise, but now we're able to see in more detail where and how the impact is being felt. We must build on the evidence and make sure that the work we do to recover from COVID-19 addresses not only those aspects of lockdown that have affected our community negatively but also those areas where people have reported positive changes in how they have led their lives over recent months".
The timing of next week's States Meeting, the last to be held this political term, is such that it will not be possible to publish the final results of the Community Survey before the States debates the improving living standards proposals. To inform the States' debate, the supporting report is being published on the basis that the content is provisional and subject to change following further analysis.
