Following the ‘green paper’ debate on the Government Work Plan in July, the Policy & Resources Committee is today publishing proposals to deliver on the States’ agreed strategic priorities.

Three ‘strategic portfolios’ were agreed in principle in July, reflecting the priority areas:

• Public service resilience, security and governance
• Housing, infrastructure and the economy
• Sustainable health and care services

A clear message from the July debate is the criticality of greater availability and affordability of housing. Providing and facilitating the development of more housing of all tenures, including key worker housing, is an important part of delivering all three of the portfolios of work. This is reflected in a number of ways in the Government Work Plan, including:

1. Recommending funding and resource for phase 1 activity arising from the recently published Guernsey Housing Plan;
2. Proceeding with the first phase of implementing the General Housing Law, which in time will become self-financing;
3. Setting out a plan for sites to be developed by the Guernsey Housing Association alongside other opportunities for private developers and construction businesses in the medium-to-longer-term; and
4. Seeking States Members’ support in principle to invest in the regeneration of the Bridge area for housing and associated flood defence work.

Committee work plans are also published today which are designed to ensure the efficient use of resources aligned to the strategic portfolios, while also delivering on mandated activity such as statutory obligations and international trade compliance.

These Government Work Plan proposals will be debated in October at the same time as the Capital Portfolio, which sets out the States’ major infrastructure projects, and the Funding & Investment Plan, which examines the likely cost of delivering public services and government obligations over the next ten years and considers how this can be funded.

Deputy Bob Murray, the Policy & Resources Committee’s lead for the Government Work Plan, said

“The Government Work Plan is now more focused on priorities than at any stage previously in this term, reflecting the July States debate. By agreeing this approach, States Members will prepare the way for the finalised approach to funding and investment that will be debated in October.

Accelerating the pace of change in the delivery of public services and the provision of health and social care is critical. So too is investment in the economy and infrastructure. This is reflected in the policy letter, and supported by the approach the Committee is setting out to make greater progress on housing supply and affordability.

Given the significant engagement with Committees on this approach, and the July States debate, the Committee is optimistic that the States will support these recommendations and demonstrate to the community we are determined to make significant progress in dealing with this issue this term.”

Read the Government Work Plan Policy Letter, dated 18th August 2023.