Focus on the local community and working in the best interests of the islanders are the central themes for Guernsey’s States Works’ new business plan.
The new plan follows an independent benchmarking and efficiency review, which was published earlier this year. That review looked at States Works’ current operations, and concluded there were clear benefits in continuing to provide all the present services. It also highlighted opportunities to improve services, increase efficiency, and deliver greater value for money.
These have now been incorporated into the objectives for the new business plan, which sets out key priorities for the next five years. They include making better use of IT, both to optimise service delivery and provide data to help improve services.
Another focus is ensuring resources can be directed to where they are most needed, including by enabling staff to work more flexibly, with additional training where required. This will help the business to be as efficient as possible. Management will also work with customers and clients to ensure proper service level agreements are implemented. These will set out clear outcomes and provide incentives for greater efficiency.
General Manager, Paul Lickley, said the findings of the benchmarking and efficiency review had provided a clear direction for States Works. “The opportunities for improvement highlighted by the review are addressed in the new business plan. This will now help to establish a future operating model for States Works, which continues to harness the strengths and advantages of public ownership, but with a commercial, customer-focused approach. That will ensure we continue to deliver services that are in the best long-term interests of the island,” he said.
The business plan sets out a number of outcomes which it aims to achieve, with specific action plans and timescales. These include ensuring greater resilience for the island, through improvements to the emergency response resources and out of hours call out service. A review of current provisions will be carried out over the next year, to ensure the appropriate staffing arrangements and the required skills are maintained within the business. It will also look at funding arrangements, and opportunities for closer working with third parties to improve overall delivery.
Another target is to improve customer satisfaction, by gathering better data to measure performance ensure service level agreements, and ensuring these are aligned with the client’s core requirements. The plan also looks to build on States Works current support for schemes that help islanders improve their employment opportunities, by providing work placements, and to develop skills, for example through apprenticeship programmes.
Environmental sustainability is addressed, with initiatives such as reducing the use of herbicides and pesticides; minimising waste; and exploring new technology, equipment and vehicles with lower carbon impacts.
