Complaint commission could be replaced - report

Jersey's government is looking into ways to handle complaints about politicians.

The Law Commission has been reviewing how well the current system works and how it should change.

The commission said in July that the States of Jersey Complaints Panel needed "radical reform to ensure it is fit for purpose" if it was to stay in place.

In its latest report, the commission said the existing system was not good enough and that it should be replaced by a dedicated Jersey Public Services Ombudsperson (JPSO).

The commission recommended a need for two roles: one to oversee individual complaints and one to improve how public services are run.

It said one major problem with the current complaints panel system was that ministers often rejected recommendations.

It said reforms needed included sharing draft statements of facts to reduce disputes, making factual findings binding and requiring ministers to justify publicly any rejection of reports.

It recommended the Council of Ministers produced reports on why rejections were made, that scrutiny hearings be introduced for ministers rejecting findings, and that regular conferences be hosted to encourage "understanding and compliance".

The Ombudsman Association, the professional body for ombudsman schemes and complaint handlers in the UK and Crown dependencies. said it welcomed the report and believed it was the most effective model to address issues.

"The benefit for citizens is, therefore, not only in resolving disputes, but also in the increased efficiency and effectiveness in public services as a result of 'getting it right first time,'" it said.

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