The government is considering creating a shadow board to manage Bus Vannin.

Chief Minister Alfred Cannan made reference to the potential of a new board in answer to a question posed to him in the House of Keys on Tuesday.

Mr Cannan said: ‘I am aware the department is considering developing a shadow board for Bus Vannin which will again represent a move away from the traditional operating model.’

An arm’s-length organisation is currently being created to run Isle of Man Airport. A shadow board was established in 2022, prior to this, before moving to an arm’s-length model.

The fact that a shadow board is being considered for the island’s buses is not something that has previously been included in any announcements.

Arbory, Castletown and Malew MHK Jason Moorhouse was asking about progress on the restructuring of the Department of Infrastructure.

Mr Cannan said: ‘The Department of Infrastructure underwent a review of capacity and capability prior to December 2021.

‘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.

‘A review and impact assessment into the role that heritage railways plays in the island’s economy, which will provide valuable information to inform any possible new ways of working in relation to this area of the department.’

He added: ‘The department plan includes the commitment to review its structure by April 2024 and was approved by Tynwald in January.

‘This work is well underway and the department will report by that deadline.’

Mr Moorhouse was concerned that despite the government’s aim to shrink the department, it appears to have ‘actually grown’.

‘In the last 20 months there doesn’t appear to have been any movement to reduce the actual size of this area of government,’ he said.

The Chief Minister said: ‘Critically, this government has set out to enhance the delivery of public services and is doing so against a very constrained financial background.

‘Clearly, the accountability in terms of both the size of departments and the manner of which they’re performing is much more transparent these days, both in terms of how that’s presented in the Island Plan but also in terms of the requirement for departments to come back and report to Tynwald.

‘I would suggest for members to have an appropriate oversight and scrutiny of that work and the size of departments and to suggest where they see and perceive the workforce is oversized.

‘There are a number of initiatives which I hope and trust will lead to more effective structures, greater performance management and greater productivity.

‘If that can be achieved with a smaller workforce, I’m all up for it.’