Scrutiny heads question Chief Minister on proposed Government Budget
20 November 2024
The heads of four Scrutiny Panels have been questioning the Chief Minister, Deputy Lyndon Farnham prior to next week’s debate into the proposed Government Budget 2025-2028 (Government Plan).
All Panels have conducted their own reviews into the Government’s revenue and spending proposals for 2025, with the Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel (CSSP) taking the lead. The Panels have lodged nine amendments and will also be issuing reports and comment papers.
Following the Hearing on Tuesday 19 November, the Scrutiny Liaison Committee still had several outstanding concerns including:
-
An overarching impression that the budget process was not evidence-led and didn’t start with addressing the demographic needs within Jersey but is instead ‘retrofitted’ focusing on short-term rather than long-term needs.
-
The reduction in funding to Statistics Jersey could exacerbate the risk that Government does not make evidence-based decisions in policy and budget setting.
-
Fears that the management and oversight of the burgeoning Health budget will not be sufficiently monitored; with an increased risk of silo-based decision-making as the onus on management and delivery falls on individual departments following the closure of the Delivery Unit.
The Committee was however pleased to hear:
-
That non-executive propositions approved by the States Assembly over the next year, would be accommodated in the legislative programme, with resources found to progress them into law.
-
That the Chief Minister and his team recognise the underfunding and lack of strategic maintenance of States owned buildings, and that this will be improved. There was also a clear commitment that Fort Regent would remain in public ownership.
In addition, prior to the Budget debate, the Committee is looking forward to receiving a comprehensive list of which services are being cut and projects delayed over the next year, along with the risk register used to formulate Budget decisions.
Deputy Inna Gardiner, President of the Scrutiny Liaison Committee commented:
‘Following extensive hearings with individual Scrutiny Panels, we wanted an over-arching view of the Government Budget from the Chief Minister. It’s clear to us as a Committee that much of the decision-making in formulating this budget, has been undertaken within the individual departments, and yet there is little detail in how money will be spent. It leaves us with the concern that it is reactive rather than pro-active and has a short-term outlook by making headline spending cuts without a clear long-term vision.’
The Chief Minister was joined at the Hearing by supporting officers. Questioning the Chief Minister was the President of SLC and Chair of the `Public Accounts Committee , Deputy Inna Gardiner, Chair of the Children, Education and Home Affairs Panel, Deputy Catherine Curtis; Chair of the Health and Social Security Panel, Deputy Louise Doublet; Chair of the Corporate Services Panel, Deputy Helen Miles; and Deputy Chair of the Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Panel, Deputy Tom Coles.
You can watch the hearing back on our website or YouTube.
The debate on the Proposed Budget 2025-2028 is taking place in the States Assembly from Tuesday 26th November at 9.30am (with the States Assembly starting the meeting on Monday at 2.15pm to go through Question time). It is expected to last several days. You can watch:
On X/Twitter: @StatesAssembly
