All Aboard the New Board!

Bus Vannin could be overseen by a new shadow board, as the gov continues to work out how to shake up the DoI.

Chief Minister Alf Cannan made reference to a new board in Keys when asked about the makeup of the department.

Jason Moorhouse (Arbory, Castletown and Malew) had asked the Chief Minister what advice has been received since September 2021 on the restructuring of the Department of Infrastructure; and if he will give an update on the proposals?

A Beamans review into the DoI said the department’s structure didn’t; support the ‘effective development, management and co-ordination of service provision, nor does it support the development of key longer-term, strategic, policy developments which are critical in an infrastructure context’.

Beamans also noted that the DoI is responsible for highways, Ronaldsway, harbours, buses, heritage railways, housing, flood risk management, waste management and local government services, amongst others, saying ‘this is an impossible management remit for any single individual to fulfil without an effective means of delegating responsibility to each individual service provider’.

In response to Mr Moorhouse’s question, Mr Cannan said: ‘There have been no further reports commissioned into the department since then but work has been progressing on various restructuring projects within the department.

‘The airport now has a shadow board and is adopting an incremental approach as it enhances its operations and a review and impact assessment into the role that heritage railways plays in the island’s economy is to commence soon which will provide valuable information to inform any possible new ways of working in relation to this area of the Department. I am also aware that the department is also looking at establishing a shadow board for Bus Vannin, which again will represent a move away from the traditional operating model.’

While many expect the airport’s move to arms-length to be seen through, despite a recent vote merely noting a report on the matter, or to quote Speaker Juan Watterson ‘a vote for or against this motion means absolutely nothing’.

However, the new announcement on the future of the buses was not something that had previously been made public and with the Chief Minister only hinting towards it, there is not yet any info on its potential size, cost or powers.

The department plan for the DoI includes the commitment to review the department structure by April 2024 and the Chief Minister said he expects it to keep to that deadline.