Proposed Government Plan 2024-2027 (P.72/2023): thirtieth amendment (P.72/2023 Amd.(30)) – amendment. Freeze on Public Health staff appointments.

STATES OF JERSEY

PROPOSED GOVERNMENT PLAN 2024- 2027 (P.72/2023): THIRTIETH AMENDMENT (P.72/2023 AMD.(30)) – AMENDMENT

FREEZE ON PUBLIC HEALTH STAFF APPOINTMENTS

Lodged au Greffe on 5th December 2023 by the Council of Ministers

STATES GREFFE

2023  P.72 Amd.(30).Amd.

PROPOSED GOVERNMENT PLAN 2024-2027 (P.72/2023): THIRTIETH

AMENDMENT (P.72/2023 AMD.(30)) – AMENDMENT

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1  PAGE 3, PARAGRAPH (l) –

After the words "until a full business case for the public health function has been produced,  scrutinised,  and  approved",  insert  the  words  "by  the  States Employment Board"

COUNCIL OF MINISTERS

Note:  After this amendment, the amendment would read as follows –

1  PAGE 3, PARAGRAPH (l) –

After the words "as set out at Appendix 3 of the Report" insert the words –

", except that, on Page 10, after the words "£3m on an ongoing basis." there should be inserted the following, "The funding provided for the public health function is predicated upon a freeze on any recruitment within the service, whether due to increases in staff numbers or fulfilment of vacancies, until a full business case for the public health function has been produced, scrutinised, and approved by the States Employment Board."

Note:  After this amendment, the proposition would read as follows –

THE STATES are asked to decide whether they are of opinion

to receive the Government Plan 2024 – 2027 specified in Article 9(1) of the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2019 ("the Law") and specifically –

1. to approve the estimate of total States income to be paid into the Consolidated Fund in 2024 as set out in Appendix 2 – Summary Table 1 to the Report, which is inclusive of the proposed taxation and impôts duties changes outlined in the Government Plan, in line with Article 9(2)(a) of the Law;
2. to refer to their Act dated 30th September 2016 and to approve the application of existing resources for work on the development of user pays' charges in relation to all aspects of waste, including commercial and domestic liquid and solid waste;
3. to approve the proposed Changes to Approval for financing/borrowing for 2024, as shown in Appendix 2 – Summary Table 2 to the Report, which may be

obtained by the Minister for Treasury and Resources, as and when required, in line with Article 9 (2)(c) of the Law, of up to those revised approvals;

4. to approve the extension of the use of the existing Revolving Credit Facility to include the provision of funds that would otherwise be implemented through bank overdraft or bank overdraft facilities under Article 26 (1)(a) of the Law, should  they  be  needed,  subject  to  the  limits  outlined  in  that  article;
5. to approve the transfers from one States fund to another for 2024 of up to and including the amounts set in Appendix 2 – Summary Table 3 in line with Article 9(2)(b) of the Law;
6. to approve a transfer from the Consolidated Fund to the Stabilisation Fund in 2024 of up to £25 million, subject to a decision of the Minister for Treasury and Resources based on the availability of funds in the Consolidated Fund as at 31 December 2023 in excess of the estimates provided in this plan, or from budgeted underspends identified before 31 December 2024;
7. to approve each major project that is to be started or continued in 2024 and the total cost of each such project and any amendments to the proposed total cost of a major project under a previously approved Government Plan, in line with Article 9(2)(d), (e) and (f) of the Law and as set out in Appendix 2 - Summary Table 4 to the Report;
8. to approve the proposed amount to be appropriated from the Consolidated Fund for 2024, for each Head of Expenditure, being gross expenditure less estimated income (if any), in line with Articles 9(2)(g), 10(1) and 10(2) of the Law, and set out in Appendix 2 – Summary Tables 5(i) and (ii) of the Report;
9. to  approve  the  estimated  income,  being  estimated  gross  income  less expenditure, that each States trading operation will pay into its trading fund in 2024 in line with Article 9(2)(h) of the Law and set out in Appendix 2 – Summary Table 6 to the Report;
10. to approve the proposed amount to be appropriated from each States trading operation's trading fund for 2024 for each head of expenditure in line with Article 9(2)(i) of the Law and set out in Appendix 2 – Summary Table 7 to the Report;
11. to approve the estimated income and expenditure proposals for the Climate Emergency Fund for 2024 as set out in Appendix 2 – Summary Table 8 to the Report; and
12. to approve, in accordance with Article 9(1) of the Law, the Government Plan 2024-2027, as set out at Appendix 3 to the Report, except that, on Page 10, after the words "£3m on an ongoing basis." there should be inserted the following,"The funding provided for the public health function is predicated upon a freeze on any recruitment within the service, whether due to increases in staff numbers or fulfilment of vacancies, until a full business case for the public healthfunction  has  been  produced,  scrutinised,  and  approved  by  the  States Employment Board.

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P.72/2023 Amd.(30).Amd.

REPORT

The  Council  of  Ministers  is  proposing  to  amend  the  amendment  to  reduce  the uncertainty this creates over the public health team.

This amendment seeks to delegate approval of the existing business case for public health to the States Employment Board (SEB) as soon as possible after debate of Government Plan.

This will reduce the uncertainty on the public health team, particularly for those on a fixed term contracts and allow for the timely recruitment of people in this core public- facing function.

If the relevant Panel wish to examine and make recommendations, that would be beneficial as part of that process.

Financial and staffing implications

There  are  no  financial  implications  or  additional  resource  implications  to  this amendment.