Massive Overhaul Of Govt Depts Proposed By Tony Brown

[VinnieK]

The Dept of the Environment seems rather lightweight, when compared to the others.

 

Well, a cynic would say that you always need one lightweight department with which to reward loyalty from those whose abilities or otherwise lacking .

 

I honestly don't understand responsibility for the buses and trains going to Community, Culture and Leisure, which makes about as much sense as they did in the DTL. Protection of the countryside going to CCL makes a little more (warped) sense because it means that preserving the Island's countryside is ultimately subsumed within a department which focuses largely on development. At first that might sound like a contradiction, but were the department for the Environment responsible it could cause a clash in government between the two departments should the CCL decide that we really desperately need a slip n' slide park built on Tholt-y-will or that Noble's Park would be a perfect location for a car park.

 

Such a reorganization smacks of the principle of 'being seen to be doing something', done more for the benefit of public perception than practical considerations. It's one of the clearest examples yet of how Tynwald, having a pathological aversion to risk, will always prefer to tinker ineffectually on the periphery of an issue and more or less preserve the status quo, rather than getting to the heart of the matter.

[Mr Shoe]

They've got to say that though to give it a chance of being approved. It's quite a good way of trimming staff.

 

okay - i see your problem. you are clearly sane.

 

this is just a grand gesture to shut people up for a few months. no-one will be trimmed.

[Guest ravabelli]

The Dept of the Environment seems rather lightweight, when compared to the others.

 

Well, a cynic would say that you always need one lightweight department with which to reward loyalty from those whose abilities or otherwise lacking .

 

I honestly don't understand responsibility for the buses and trains going to Community, Culture and Leisure, which makes about as much sense as they did in the DTL. Protection of the countryside going to CCL makes a little more (warped) sense because it means that preserving the Island's countryside is ultimately subsumed within a department which focuses largely on development. At first that might sound like a contradiction, but were the department for the Environment responsible it could cause a clash in government between the two departments should the CCL decide that we really desperately need a slip n' slide park built on Tholt-y-will or that Noble's Park would be a perfect location for a car park.

 

Such a reorganization smacks of the principle of 'being seen to be doing something', done more for the benefit of public perception than practical considerations. It's one of the clearest examples yet of how Tynwald, having a pathological aversion to risk, will always prefer to tinker ineffectually on the periphery of an issue and more or less preserve the status quo, rather than getting to the heart of the matter.

 

Spot on Vinnie.

 

Agree that this re-organisation is a complete waste of money, so that they appear to be doing something whilst retaining the same number of seats at the big boys table.

 

What we really need are less departments giving us less ministers and less departmental members taking the first minister's shilling. We need a majority of MHK's who don't stand to lose salary by disagreeing with Mr Brown. Until then we'll get the same bad decisions (or quiet often, as some senior civil servants are alleged to have said, no decision at all!).

 

Must disagree on one point though. There is no sense (even warped) in putting a department in the position of both promoting and regulating the same activity. Experience elsewhere suggests that this just means that regulation becomes dangerously lax.

[VinnieK]

Must disagree on one point though. There is no sense (even warped) in putting a department in the position of both promoting and regulating the same activity. Experience elsewhere suggests that this just means that regulation becomes dangerously lax.

 

That's exactly what I mean by warped logic though! If you as a government are overly sympathatic to development and big developers, of which some unforgiving souls may accuse Tynwald, then it makes perfect sense from your perspective to engineer a situation where regulation is subordinate to a department whose chief responsibility is promotion, especially when you can then hide behind your green credentials by pointing to the existence of a Department for the Environment, albeit one that's a little light and toothless

[Evil Goblin]

Such a reorganization smacks of the principle of 'being seen to be doing something', done more for the benefit of public perception than practical considerations. It's one of the clearest examples yet of how Tynwald, having a pathological aversion to risk, will always prefer to tinker ineffectually on the periphery of an issue and more or less preserve the status quo, rather than getting to the heart of the matter.

Spot on, Vinnie. The politician's syllogism:

 

1. We must do something;

2. This is something;

3. Therefore, we must do this.

[Albert Tatlock]

I'd like to read the proposed changes in detail first...but it immediately looks like this won't save any money, in fact will actually cost several more £millions rebranding, painting vans and changing all of the paperwork.

 

Something like this was needed, but only after a full analysis and review in the current circumstances - not based on a picture that was life years ago. In fact this move could actually complicate things much further at the moment, and lose opportunities for further streamlining.

 

I suspect they hope this will be seen by the public to be doing something, and in the meantime hope the election will pass by with no major problems for them.

[motormouth mabel]

So how do you think the new COMIN will line up?

 

The following seem natural progressions from their previous roles -

 

Department of Community, Culture and Leisure - Phil Gawne

Department of Economic Development - David Cretney

Department of Education and Children - Annie Craine

Department of the Environment - John Shimmin

Department of Health

Department of Home Affairs - Adrian Earnshaw

Department of the Infrastructure - David Anderson

Department of Social Care

Department of the Treasury - Alan Bell

Eddie Teare was responsible for both the remaining functions previously so will have to move to one or the other - a move away from Health may be politically useful so Social Care, that leaves Martin Quayle and the Dept of Health! Is there anyone who can come in from outside?

 

Quintin Gill for Dept of Social Care- afterall he was a social worker before political life. makes sense, but the Chief Electrician will probably put a farmer in the role!

[VinnieK]

The following seem natural progressions from their previous roles -

 

Department of Community, Culture and Leisure - Phil Gawne

Department of Economic Development - David Cretney

Department of Education and Children - Annie Craine

Department of the Environment - John Shimmin

Department of Health

Department of Home Affairs - Adrian Earnshaw

Department of the Infrastructure - David Anderson

Department of Social Care

Department of the Treasury - Alan Bell

Eddie Teare was responsible for both the remaining functions previously so will have to move to one or the other - a move away from Health may be politically useful so Social Care, that leaves Martin Quayle and the Dept of Health! Is there anyone who can come in from outside?

 

My money's on Gawne getting Environment with either Shimmin or Quayle going into Community, Culture and Leisure or Social Care

[Slim]

Something like this was needed, but only after a full analysis and review in the current circumstances - not based on a picture that was life years ago. In fact this move could actually complicate things much further at the moment, and lose opportunities for further streamlining.

 

You'd never get anything done like that though, you'd constantly be revising and never implementing.

[pongo]

That list of names does not fill me with confidence for the future. With a couple of possible exceptions I think they out of their depth. And so are we.

[Cronky]

Department of Education and Children - Annie Craine

 

Why the heck are they proposing a Minister for Children?

[Slim]

Department of Education and Children - Annie Craine

 

Why the heck are they proposing a Minister for Children?

 

The justification is provided:

 

"The Department of Education will be renamed the Department of Education and Children to reflect the new role of the Minister in relation to the well being of the child. The Department will be responsible for the development of policy and the delivery of services in relation to Children’s Welfare, Schools, the International Business School, the College of Further Education, Higher Education and Rural Library. The full remit of the Department

would cover the following responsibilities..."

 

It then goes on to add the safeguarding of children to another two departments...

 

"Safeguarding Children will be shared under statute by the Department of Education and Children, the Department of Health, the Department of Social Care and the Department of Home Affairs."

[Cronky]

Er, what do they mean by the 'safeguarding of children'?

 

Is this some local version of the Nanny State?

[Declan]

My money's on Gawne getting Environment with either Shimmin or Quayle going into Community, Culture and Leisure or Social Care

 

I'd quit if I was Gawne and I was given Environment. His Department have built their new eco-office in on time and on budget, he's the only one that seems to have reorganised his department to meet the new economic climate and he's probably had to compromise more than most to collective responsibility. And his reward is a non-Department with very little responsibility, whilst Quayle who has stumbled from disaster to disaster gets a new Department to mess up. He'd be better off returning to the back benches for a couple of years, because after the next election there will be a new intake of MHK's looking for an experienced leader, he could be kingmaker next time.

[Albert Tatlock]

Where's the Ministry of Airfield and Aircraft Statistics?