04 July 2014
Ministers have been assessing their progress on meeting the objectives outlined in the 2012 States Strategic Plan. During a defining period of two years a significant number of reforms and initiatives have been approved.
These include:
- helping unemployed Islanders back to work through modern apprenticeships, work experience programmes and incentive schemes
- redesigning health services to care for a growing older population
- a plan to build a new and refurbished hospital which can adapt to changing needs and support a health service that is fit for the future
- a Long Term Care Scheme to provide financial support for residents who have significant long-term care needs and are being cared for at home, or in a care home
- transformation of social housing and changes proposed to the Island Plan - to provide new and refurbished homes, to secure a modern social housing sector and fund the refurbishment, maintenance and expansion of States-owned rental stock
- establishment of Andium Homes, a government owned company providing affordable housing for those in need
- supporting employment and improving productivity through the Economic Growth and Diversification Strategy and Back to Work scheme
- an agreed strategy for dealing with liquid waste, to protect Jersey’s environment in the years to come
- a Discrimination Law which provides a legal framework for protection against all forms of discrimination
- a draft Charities Law which aims to support Jersey charities and enable the Island to position itself as a centre of excellence for philanthropic wealth management
- the extension of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) to Jersey
- Energy Policy, Financial Services Strategy, Enterprise Action Plan and Skills Strategy - each of which is of vital importance to Jersey’s economy
- public sector reform has achieved new policies for staff, pay progression based on skills, not time served, in Fire and Prison Services, and technology is being harnessed to make services increasingly cost effective, accessible and convenient through e-government
In the last two years Ministers have tackled the significant issues that will affect the Island in the coming years, like our ageing population and the increasing demands on our health service.
The effects of some of the more fundamental changes will take time to impact on the community. For instance the redesign of health and social care will help care for our growing older population and the transformation of social housing will mean more, better quality homes for those in need. But these developments will take time to impact on the community.
Long term planning
The Chief Minister, Senator Ian Gorst, said “I am very pleased that ministers achieved so much in the last three years, substantially delivering on the aims of the States Strategic Plan. We have introduced short term policies to steer the Island through difficult times, like the Back to Work programme. And we have started to tackle the major issues that will affect the Island in the coming years, like the increasing health demands of an ageing society, and the importance of improving productivity in our economy.
“The impact of these reforms on our economy, community and environment will gather pace in the coming years, and future governments will need to build on the foundations we have laid.
"These fundamental changes will improve the lives of Islanders in the years to come, providing a lasting legacy, and helping the Island to address the major issues that will affect our community in the future.”
Download a summary of the progress made on priorities in Strategic Plan 2012 (size 233Kb)
Download Strategic Plan progress update report 2014 (size 953Kb)
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