More than 1,300 ideas were put forward by the public as ways for government to save money.

But just eight have been taken forward for business case development, a report to this month’s Tynwald sitting reveals.

The SAVE programme was announced in the 2017 Budget with the initial aim of getting the public to suggest ways of identifying savings of £25m by 2021-22.

That target was subsequently reduced to £15m by 2022-23.

More than 1,300 suggestions were logged on an online ideas hub.

In an update report to Tynwald, Treasury Minister Alfred Cannan confirms that just eight ideas were approved by Council of Ministers to be taken forward to business case development.

His report outlines savings of more than £6m to be achieved through the creation of a Public Defender Scheme, the consolidation of higher education services and the implementation of an integrated transport strategy across the bus and rail network.

Other projects that aim to lock in additional savings and efficiencies in the years ahead include the modernisation of the budgeting process and the extension of government shared services.

Mr Cannan (above) said: ’The SAVE initiative was inspired by a need to achieve direct budgetary savings during the term of this government and a desire to deliver a comprehensive and coordinated programme of reform.

’The report identifies the first steps in our efforts to secure savings of £15m over the next five years. There is much more to come from the SAVE programme.’

Some 10 ideas were subject to detailed proof of concept assessment by Pricewaterhouse Coopers.

Expenditure of the SAVE project to date had been £29,755.

The Public Defender Scheme, estimated to save more than £1m, would see the creation of permanent, full-time criminal defence team to replace private lawyers, primarily in summary court cases. Further savings of £1m by 2021-22 are envisaged by consolidation of Higher Education.

Reviewing casual worker contracts, making them non-pensionable for all or certain groups, is being considered as is the idea of outsourcing.

A bus and rail action plan will see a £333,000 a year cut in government subsidy for transport from 2019-20.

A consultants’ review found salary costs at Bus Vannin are high compared to other bus operators.

It identified cost savings in crew schedules, staff terms and conditions and by prioritising routes. But it recommends keeping the heritage railways in public ownership.

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