Tom Rylatt
2025 Guernsey election candidate

DELIVERY

I support the manifesto: 'Our Plan for Guernsey: 2025-29 And Beyond'.

DELIVERY FOCUSED ON RESULTS

The policy positions in this manifesto offer significant improvements to our public services and public administration. They will help restore islanders’ confidence in the ability of its leaders to deliver meaningful change. A good policy plan needs strong execution and accountability. This section outlines how the proposed changes islanders want to see can be delivered as effectively as possible. These policies are designed to streamline government and ensure that the delivery of public services encourages, rather than hinders, economic growth. Given full employment, government must be as small and as effective as possible, which requires a commitment to continuous improvement.

Key policies we support:

  1. Establishing an independent commission to review Guernsey’s electoral system and system of government - similar to the review led by Peter Harwood two decades ago.

  2. Introducing a 1% reduction in baseline spending for each year from 2026, saving Guernsey more than £25 million a year by 2029.

  3. Establishing an independent Performance & Reform Council where islanders with a proven track record can voluntarily advise committees on how to make savings.

  4. Empowering political champions to oversee delivery of public services that fall across the remits of multiple committees.

STREAMLINING GOVERNMENT

We need to improve the overall efficiency of the public sector to deliver services that are good value for money.

We support:

  • Introducing a 1% reduction in baseline spending for each year from 2026, saving Guernsey more than £25 million a year by 2029.

  • Empowering political champions to oversee delivery of public services that fall across the remits of multiple committees, for example Children, Sustainability, Change Management and working with Jersey.

  • Reviewing public services with the goal of streamlining their organisational designs, particularly at a senior level.

  • Commissioning businesses and charities that can deliver public services more effectively, where appropriate.

  • Introducing rolling three-year budgets for committees, to allow for better long-term planning and more stable government.

  • Allowing islanders with a proven track record to advise committees on how to make savings via the establishment of a an independent Performance & Reform Council.

MAXIMISING USE AND VALUE FROM PUBLIC PROPERTY

More efficient management of the States’ property portfolio means faster decisions made in the public interest.

We support:

  • Replacing the States Property Unit with a new publicly-owned company, similar to the Guernsey Housing Association or the Guernsey Development Agency.

  • Ensuring we receive fair value for properties the States no longer needs.

DELIVERING INFRASTRUCTURE FASTER

Investment is crucial to improve public services in line with islanders’ expectations. Many existing infrastructure projects are over budget and behind schedule. Government ought to prioritise projects that increase productivity and prosperity.

To do this, we support:

  • Introducing an independent, non-political Infrastructure and Capital Projects Board to improve governance and oversight of projects, without relying on external consultants.

  • Ensuring this new Board reviews ‘expected’ versus ‘actual’ benefits of projects.

  • Incorporating the Scrutiny Management Committee’s recommendation for an IT Advisory Board into the new Infrastructure and Capital Projects Board to reflect the importance of specialist IT expertise for the delivery of infrastructure

DESIGNING RECEPTIVE AND RESPONSIVE GOVERNMENT

To increase islanders’ confidence in government to deliver, we need to improve transparency and accountability. To ensure a closer connection between voters and politicians, we support:

  • Reviewing the way disputes arising from complaints about public services are handled.

  • Reviewing appeals processes to improve independence and integrity.

  • Establishing an independent commission to review Guernsey’s electoral system and system of government - similar to the review led by Peter Harwood two decades ago.

MAKING THE MOST OF PUBLIC ASSETS

It is government’s responsibility to ensure that publicly owned assets are managed to deliver the best for islanders.

To achieve this we support:

  • Commercialising Guernsey Water, Guernsey Ports, and States Works to bring them in line with Guernsey Post and Guernsey Electricity.

  • Reviewing the States’ purchase arrangements for all non-medical insurance to understand whether establishing a captive insurer would be better value for money.

  • Splitting the role of legal services provided to the government of Guernsey and those legal services provided on behalf of the Crown, independent of government.

  • Raising returns from the States’ portfolios by updating the way risk is understood and managed.

  • An independent review of funding methodologies for the States’ pension obligations.

  • Pursuing the reform of public sector terms and conditions.

DELIVERING THIS VISION

A manifesto like this has never been produced before in Guernsey. There are a number of advantages to electing representatives that are committed to supporting this manifesto, such as:

  • Increasing the speed of decision making and improving the chances of delivery as representatives will have a single position on issues, rather than up to 38 different positions.

  • Ensuring individual accountability against the policy commitments in this manifesto.

  • Enabling representatives to work more effectively as a team with specialist areas of interest and expertise.