Policy Council of Guernsey


The Bailiwick of Guernsey operates a system of government by committees and consensus. The States of Deliberation is both parliament and executive, but it delegates some of its executive functions to policy-specific committees, which are known as States Departments, each of which is run by five political members, all of whom have equal voting power.
Despite having explicitly rejected a proposal to adopt an executive/ministerial system of government in 2002, the head of each department was known as minister. They were, in effect, presidents or chairmen of their committees.
The Policy Council consisted of the ministers/presidents of each of the ten departments plus the chief minister, who chaired Policy Council and spoke for the island externally in political matters. The Policy Council's main functions were policy co-ordination and responsibility for external relations. The chief minister and all department heads are elected by all members of the States of Deliberation. There also existed the post of Deputy Chief Minister, which was held by one of the department heads and was also elected by all members of the States of Deliberation.
On 1 May 2016 the Policy Council of Guernsey ceased to exist and a new committee, the Policy and Resources Committee was created.

Policy Council (May 2012 – March 2014)

PortfolioMinister
Chief MinisterDeputy Peter Harwood
Deputy Chief Minister
Minister, Home Department		Deputy Jonathan Le Tocq
Minister, Treasury & Resources DepartmentDeputy Gavin St Pier
Minister, Health & Social Services DepartmentDeputy Hunter Adam
Deputy Mark Dorey
Minister, Education DepartmentDeputy Robert Sillars
Minister, Commerce & Employment DepartmentDeputy Kevin Stewart
Minister, Culture & Leisure DepartmentDeputy Mike O'Hara
Minister, Public Services DepartmentDeputy Paul Luxon
Minister, Environment DepartmentDeputy Roger Domaille
Minister, Social Security DepartmentDeputy Allister Langlois
Minister, Housing DepartmentDeputy Dave Jones