30 July 2018
The States of Jersey will move more than 500 staff into a new headquarters in the autumn, as part of the restructuring of the public sector to create one government.
The Infrastructure Minister has approved a lease on the former RBC building at 19-21 Broad Street in St Helier, and the first States staff will move offices in November.
This move is a short-term solution until a purpose-built office is developed for all States of Jersey administrative and policy staff. It provides a large, flexible office building across five floors, where teams from across all government departments can work together to modernise the way services are delivered.
This is part of the plans to create a one government public service, to reduce duplication, promote collaboration, increase productivity, and ensure better value for money for the taxpayer. Today’s announcement marks a step towards consolidating the States of Jersey’s office estate into a single administrative headquarters where all non-frontline staff will work.
Assistant Chief Minister, Connétable Richard Buchanan, said: “We are bringing States employees together from across all departments, to work as one government. The physical separation of teams in different buildings reinforces a silo working mentality, when what a modern public service needs is to promote a culture of collaboration and partnership among staff.
“Moving corporate and administrative staff from outlying offices into a single headquarters will also release current sites for redevelopment for alternative uses, such as housing for key workers.
“This move will support the reorganisation of public services and help provide better and more responsive services to islanders, and to deliver Ministers’ priorities more effectively.”
The States’ new HQ at Broad Street will include:
- most staff from Cyril Le Marquand House
- corporate and administrative Health staff from Peter Crill House
- corporate and administrative Education staff from Highlands
- Environment staff from South Hill
- teams from Maritime House
- policy and strategy staff from across all departments
- a new Ministerial suite with a Ministerial Support Unit.
Frontline staff will continue to be based in the hospital, schools and other operational sites, and La Motte Street will be developed as the centre for customer services.
A plan is being developed to decommission several buildings, including Cyril Le Marquand House and South Hill, which are likely to be demolished and the land redeveloped for key worker and other housing. Other current sites, once vacant, could be sold.
The lease should be finalised by the end of July, with work to fit out the building due to start in August. The lease is flexible and can be ended after five years. The rent for the property is around £1 million a year, which will be funded from existing budgets.
gov.je