Suggestions for change from our Politics Group Live sessions
From 17 May session
From 23 May session
In the chamber
Film the States and broadcast live (referenced in both sessions).
Official monitoring of Deputies comings and goings from the chamber.
Go back to paper note passing, not online messaging, so it’s more visible.
No written speeches, just verbalise your points.
Hold Deputies who haven’t read Billets and committee papers to account.
Encourage more people to come and watch States meetings.
Stop the chatter between deputies, can’t hear the speeches.
Bring in clearer rules for debate like the ones used for a debate competition.
Presiding Officer
Encourage the Presiding Officer to be firmer.
Create a code of conduct for the Presiding Officer.
Better training for Presiding Officer regarding bullying.
Create a ‘yellow/red’ card system for the Presiding Officer to enforce discipline.
Candidates
Aptitude tests for candidates – can they plough through a Billet (with support if have access needs).
Recruit better people.
Vetting of candidates.
More representation in the States of people who aren’t wealthy, people who have dealt with real community problems.
More representation for young people, LGBT, other nationalities.
Political parties, therefore more effective assignment of President roles.
Political parties, therefore better filtering of candidates.
Manifestos
Every manifesto should include a CV.
Take names/photos off manifestos, assess candidates blind.
Publish comprehensive data on what was in manifesto and how the Deputy voted.
Campaigning
Bring back door to door canvassing.
More door knocking, happens in the UK for constituencies larger than Guernsey.
Training – Deputies
Induction training should be compulsory.
Train Deputies on the behaviour expected of a States member.
Review competency as you would in a business.
Training – voters
Citizenship lessons in schools.
Give voters more understanding of the pressures Deputies face.
Voters and Deputies to take responsibility for behaviour. If see bullying, step in. Complicit if you don’t.
Demand better – of ourselves as voters as well as Deputies.
Encourage more people to join the electoral roll, and to vote.
Voter awareness campaigns eg ‘Why I vote’.
Make newcomers more aware they can register to vote after two years’ residency.
Machinery of government
Match civil service structure to committee structure.
Give Presidents more authority to manage behaviour of committee members.
Bring in a petition system like UK – public can raise issues, will be debated if sufficient signatures.
Bring in a petition system like Jersey – backbenchers can raise issues for debate.
Proportional representation.
Media
Deputies to talk direct to media, more authentic. Not via spokespeople.
Media to take more responsibility to educate the public.
General
Voters need to demand better, we are the employer.
Strong code of conduct with enforcement.
Code of conduct to be clear what Deputies should be doing, not just what they shouldn’t.
Bring back links to parishes (whilst keeping island-wide voting)
Get rid of island wide voting.
Run customer surveys to rate interaction with Deputies, like the ones we fill in for bank staff.
