Integration of services and resources on a Channel Islands’ basis

What constitutes the ‘ideal island’ in terms of: land area, population levels, economic profile, social infrastructure and wellbeing, fiscal performance, and climate. This question is impossible to answer but while all islands experience varying degrees of isolation, some island communities have a distinct advantage over others purely because of their critical mass and their ability to benefit from economies of scale.

These scenarios equally apply to the Channel Islands which has an overall population of 173,000 and where total public sector operational expenditure is £1.4bn annually. This is in addition to some very costly capital infrastructure projects which are either in the pipeline or being considered (e.g. new hospital facilities, secondary schools, airport rehabilitation, etc.).

The archipelago also comprises four main islands only a very short distance apart, each with a separate government structure and constitution but with populations ranging from 108k down to 500.

This Presentation is therefore designed to be thought-provoking by highlighting current issues facing the Channel Islands and where the adoption of ‘economies of scale’ policies would be most appropriate across all of the islands in meeting these challenges. Above all, the primary objective is to engender rational debate rather than ‘sparking’ inter-island rivalries and competing agendas.