New chief officer appointed to head Social Security Department

20 February 2006

A new Chief Officer of Social Security has been appointed to replace Ann Esterson who is leaving in May.

Richard Bell has worked for the States of Jersey for nearly seven years and is currently working in the Treasury and Resources Department as Head of the Corporate Financial Strategy Division.

He joins Social Security at an important time as the department continues to work with other departments and the parishes to put in place a new Income Support Scheme. Also high on his agenda will be the further development of employment legislation.

Ann Esterson has worked for the States for 17 years, the last ten as chief officer of the Social Security Department. During that time she steered the Department through a major programme of reform to improve the way it operated and to modernise Jersey’s benefits and allowances system, opening an integrated customer services centre in 2003.

In Richard Bell’s existing role he acts as deputy to the Treasurer of the States and has led work on the development and implementation of States financial strategy and policy. Richard has also represented the department on cross-departmental working groups such as the Strategic Review of Water Services, changes to the structure of Stamp Duty, the Income Support Steering Group and the incorporation of Jersey Telecom and Jersey Post.

Before joining the States, Richard worked in the Island’s financial services sector.