Public Accounts Committee publishes recommendations on how public funds are spent
31 July 2024
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has published its report on the States Annual Reports and Accounts 2023. The main objective of the review was to explore whether public funds have been applied for the purpose intended by the States and whether sound financial practices have been maintained.
The Committee has identified a number of key findings and recommendations in its report:
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Accessibility of the report - Improve accessibility and provide an understandable digital summary in the 2024 report.
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Assurance to Ministers on departmental performance – A departmental annual report must be submitted to the relevant Minister for review through the form of a briefing, prior to it being submitted for inclusion in the Annual Report and Accounts.
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Reporting on staffing numbers - Reintroduce detailed employee numbers per pay bracket in the 2024 report, for transparency.
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Internal IT controls – Chief Information Officer to present an action plan for new IT controls by Q3 2024, with key improvements by August and December 2024.
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Consolidation of States-Owned Entities - Present a plan by Q4 2024 to include all States-Owned Entities in the Jersey Group Annual Report by 2025.
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Health and Community Services Financial Recovery Plan - Quarterly updates on the Financial Recovery Plan to address a £32.5 million deficit, aiming to save £25 million over three years.
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Value for Money - Define "Value for Money" consistently across departments to improve resource prioritisation.
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Operating Balance - Include a narrative on curbing public sector growth in the 2024 report, addressing a 17% expenditure increase.
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Overall Government performance reporting - Include clear tables and narratives on service performance measures for easier public assessment.
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Customer feedback and complaints reporting - Incorporate feedback from Health and Community Services, and schools in future Annual Reports.
Deputy Raluca Kovacs acted as lead member for the review, due to the previous Ministerial roles held by other States Members on the PAC during the period being reviewed. Deputy Kovacs said 'I am pleased to present the 2023 report, highlighting several critical areas for attention. Health's IT projects need rigorous monitoring to ensure patient outcomes and cost efficiency, while recruitment challenges in Health require proactive solutions to reduce waiting times and manage rising costs. Additionally, we must address overall government cost increases, enhance the clarity and accessibility of annual reports, and improve local training programs to reduce reliance on costly consultants. Efforts should also be made to better engage stakeholders and communicate effectively about the report's findings.'
Read the Committee's final report here.
Read the digital summary version of the report here.
