Radical proposals to streamline Government’s structure and strengthen its policy co-ordination will be moved at the January Tynwald by Chief Minister Allan Bell MHK.
The changes will come into effect from April this year if approved by Members at their sitting starting on the 21 of this month.
The plan aims to cut bureaucracy by reducing the number of separate Government organisations, with the loss of two Departments, one Statutory Board and one Office. The Council of Ministers would shrink to include eight Ministers instead of nine.
To achieve a more joined-up approach to the challenges facing the Island, the central co-ordination of policies would be reinforced through the creation of a Cabinet Office and a new Minister for Policy and Reform.
The Chief Minister commented:
‘These proposals are all about making Government smaller, simpler, and less bureaucratic in line with public and political expectations. They will also strengthen the centre of Government so that it can drive forward the changes that are needed to overcome the unprecedented challenges facing our Island.’
Mr Bell will ask Tynwald to receive the Council of Ministers report on Modernising Ministerial Government, published in December, and to approve six recommendations from the report:
Recommendation 1
The Chief Secretary’s Office, the Office of Human Resources, the Information Systems Division of the Department of Economic Development and the Economic Affairs Division of Treasury should be combined to form a Cabinet Office.
Recommendation 2
A Minister with responsibility for Policy and Reform should be appointed to work within the Cabinet Office, who will also be appointed as Chair of the Civil Service Commission and the Business Change Steering Group and lead the Transforming Government Programme.
Recommendation 3
The existing Departments of Health and Social Care should be dissolved and a new single Department of Health and Social Care created, with the Social Security Division transferred to the Treasury.
Recommendation 4
The Manx Electricity Authority and the Water and Sewerage Authority should be merged to form a Manx Utilities Authority.
Recommendation 5
The Department of Community, Culture and Leisure should be dissolved and its functions transferred, as appropriate, to the Departments of Economic Development, Education and Children, Infrastructure and Environment, Food and Agriculture.
Recommendation 6
The Council of Ministers should consider: opportunities for further reforming the criminal justice system; the potential benefits that could be achieved by streamlining certain corporate services and regulatory functions; whether there is merit in creating the Isle of Man Government as a single legal entity, and report to Tynwald on these matters by July 2014.
The Chief Minister will also move three separate Transfer of Functions Orders in relation to the creation of a Manx Utilities Authority, the dissolution of the DCCL, and merger of Health and Social Care.
