broadcast live on line and available to view afterwards. Questions and statements in the States Assembly often raise the profile of issues and comment across the range of media platforms.
How effective are we at doing our job
Panels are very focused on the objectives and it is our responsibility on behalf of the public to be effective and to add value.
Measuring the influence and effectiveness of this work is a challenge, but there are a range of statistics available that help paint a picture of influence and impact. Collectively since 2005 Scrutiny panels have, for example, been responsible for the publication of several hundred reports, complete with hundreds more findings and recommendations accepted by the Government as outlined in more than 150 official Ministerial Responses.
Panels have also brought forward numerous propositions for debate by the Assembly, often successfully amending legislation. In the last Assembly, these included matters as diverse as increasing nursery education funding, re-instating the single parent component of Income Support and amending the draft Strategic Plan to ensure that environmental considerations were integrated within the delivery of each of the four key priorities.
The volume and quality of work undertaken by Panels and the prominence of these messages in political discourse and formal debate over recent times has continued to help positively influence Members and stakeholders, underlining the value of Scrutiny.
Through successes, feedback and growing experience, the Panels now feel more confident that their output is increasingly influential on Ministers (directly and indirectly, welcome or otherwise), and this output is routinely sought and relied upon by individual members, stakeholders and the public to provide objective views on all key policy proposals and legislative changes.
One example that encapsulates this and the wide-ranging scope and influence of scrutiny work was the Review of Student Finance (Higher Education) undertaken by the Education and Home Affairs Panel late in the previous term.
During a high-profile review which contained a number of innovative public engagement initiatives, a significant number of people (including the Minister for Education, students and parents), gave evidence and information both in writing, at forums and evening public events, workshops in schools, via social media campaigns and at public hearings.
The review focused on significant concerns surrounding unresolved financial barriers to the Island’s students pursuing their ambitions, and the Panel’s recommendations led directly to a funding solution being found.
Deputy Jeremy Maçon who led the Panel reflected on the influence of its work:
Sarah Ferguson Senator Mary Le Hegarat Deputy
Chairman’s Committee Connétable Mike Jackson
Senator Kristina Moore Robert Ward Deputy Kirsten Morel
“There has been no political will to look seriously at this for years. The Ministers for Education and Treasury and Resources placed the responsibility for getting something done very clearly at the door of others. Suddenly there seems to be the political will to get something done. The Panel feels it has overcome what was clearly a political blockage.”
Panels remain very conscious of the importance of improving community access to, and involvement with their work and continue to develop the way that they do this, in order to reach as wide a proportion of the public as possible.
Panels continue to innovate, with initiatives including holding public meetings at various times and locations across the Island, an enhanced social media presence (with increasing followers and website hits), high profile Island-wide surveys in three different languages (eg the current Mental Health Services Review) and inviting the public via the ‘ask the minister’ campaigns to submit questions that Panels ask Ministers at public hearings.
The media profile of Panel Chairmen and Panel work has also steadily risen over the years, significantly so in recent times, reflecting Scrutiny’s growing effectiveness.
A significant first was the Future Hospital Review Panel broadcast as a key live public hearing online. This will become a regular part of all Scrutiny public evidence gathering sessions.
I am very proud to be able to serve the community in various Scrutiny roles. As President of the Chairmen’s Committee, in particular, I will be working hard with colleagues to continue to focus on ensuring we are as effective as we can be to improve Government policies, legislation and public services.
20/20 - The Island Page 61 Deputy
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