The new-look Department for Enterprise and its four executive agencies should be fully up and running by April next year.

Tynwald last week approved a transfer order that allowed the Department of Economic Development to be rebranded, with a new name and the loss of some of its functions, such as the Villa-Gaiety and the Job Centre.

The restructuring, which follows a root and branch review by interim chief executive Mark Lewin, has resulted in the department reducing in size by 25%.

Some 20% of that is down to the loss of functions to other departments but the remaining 5% is the result of 16 posts being eliminated, in part by not renewing a number of fixed term senior management contracts. There has been no redundancies.

The next phase will see the creation of four public-private executive agencies - Finance IoM, Digital IoM, Visit IoM and Business IoM.

Enterprise Minister Laurence Skelly (pictured) said: ’Change isn’t easy and it’s been quite a journey. The economy is moving at a rapid pace and we have to ensure we have the right structures in place.’

He said executive agencies were a ’proven model’ and would allow the department to focus on its core functions of strategy and policy. ’Early in the new year we will have the framework in place,’ he said.

Mr Skelly said staff would transfer to new agencies on their existing terms and conditions and their employer would remain the Department for Enterprise.

Asked how the agencies would be prevented from expanding their scope and staff numbers, he said they would each have to work within their budgets.

And what about accountability, given these will be public-private organisations? Mr Skelly said: ’All of these agencies are intended to be open and transparent in terms of accountability and being responsible for their actions. They need to be accountable to us and they need to be accountable to the public - and that includes the budget.’

Mr Skelly said he expected the new agencies to be up and running in the first quarter of next year. But he warned: ’We do need to be careful we don’t rush it and make sure we get it right.’

The Villa Marina and Gaiety Theatre have been transferred to the newly-renamed Department of Education, Sport and Culture, together with training, apprenticeships and careers advice.

Responsibility for the Job Centre, employment schemes and the Disability Employment Services are transferred to Treasury.

Other functions transferred are the licensing and leases for mines and minerals, which go to DEFA, and petroleum licensing and royalties, which move to DoI.