19 October 2022
The Government of Jersey has published proposals to establish an independent Public
Services Ombudsperson to help resolve complaints about public services in Jersey in a
timely and transparent manner.
Part of the Council of Minister’s 100 Day Actions, Chief Minister, Deputy Kristina
Moore, has now submitted instructions for new legislation to be drafted.
The Law would create a Jersey Public Services Ombudsperson (JPSO) to resolve
complaints about administrative actions, decisions or omissions, or failures to act,
which have resulted in alleged injustice or hardship, by specified bodies in Jersey.
Chief Minister, Deputy Kristina Moore, said: “In establishing the Jersey Public Services
Ombudsperson we will be driving a higher standard of administration by our public
services. It will provide people with the chance to seek redress if our public services
have let them down.
“The JPSO’s principal function will be the investigation of individual complaints by
members of the public, whilst maintaining an ability to conduct investigations in
certain circumstances whether a complaint has been made or not.
“It will also undertake joint investigations with other bodies where appropriate,
bringing forward model complaints-handling procedures for public services and will
oversee the application of the model procedures it draws up.
“The JPSO will be independent of Government and will have a particular focus on
transparency in all its dealings.”
gov.je