Throughout January and February the States’ Assembly & Constitution Committee ran an informational course for prospective election candidates offering an insight into the realities of being a States’ Member and hearing from officers of the Civil Service about how the States of Guernsey is structured and operates.
The presentation slides used during the course are available to view below along with the details of each session.
Being a States’ Member
Two members of the current Assembly were invited for a sit-down conversation with host Rob Moore to talk about the day-to-day life as a Deputy. They discussed their different experiences and perspectives of the realities facing Members, while balancing family and other personal commitments and responsibilities. More information on what life is like as a States’ Member is available here: https://election2025.gg/standing/being-a-deputy/
How Government Works – An overview
Session 2 How Government Works An Overview
This session was presented by the Head of the Public Service and introduced attendees to the workings of Guernsey’s government, providing information and insight into operational delivery responsibilities and how the civil service is structured to support the work of Committees.
How Government Works – Economy, Population & Workforce
Session 3 Economy, Population And Workforce
This session was delivered by Officers from Treasury and Data & Analysis. It provided information on the size of the current workforce and population levels, and how these affect the overall economic status of the Bailiwick.
States’ Meetings at the Royal Court
Session 4 States' Meetings At The Royal Court
This session was held in the States’ Chamber at the Royal Court and was hosted by the States’ Greffier. It offered an introduction to the history of the States of Deliberation, as well as its current functioning and the importance of understanding the Rules of Procedure to provide structure to the Meeting. The Assembly met that day, and attendees of the course were strongly encouraged to visit in the public gallery to witness proceedings firsthand ahead of the session with the States’ Greffier.
How Government Works - Guernsey’s Finances
Session 5 How Government Works Guernsey's Finances
This session was delivered by Officers from Treasury and included an introduction to the Island’s current taxation arrangements and how money is subsequently spent in delivering services to Islanders.
Parliamentary Scrutiny
Session 6 Parliamentary Scrutiny
This session focused on parliamentary scrutiny, what scrutiny is, and how it is conducted effectively within Guernsey’s system of government. It also highlighted that all Members of the States of Deliberation play an active and important part in the scrutiny process and development of policy. The roles of the Scrutiny Management Committee and the Legislation Review Panel were also covered.
Standing for Election in June 2025 - What can a candidate expect?
Session 7 Standing For Election
The final session of the course was delivered by the Registrar-General of Electors. It covered the mechanics of the Election and what candidates could expect during the process. This included submitting nominations, understanding election expenditure, details of polling days, the vote count and key dates for candidates to be aware of.