Transfer of International Cultural Centre from Cabinet Office to the Customer and Local Services (CLS) (now Employment, Social Security and Housing (ESSH)

STATES OF JERSEY

TRANSFER OF INTERNATIONAL CULTURAL CENTRE FROM CABINET OFFICE TO THE CUSTOMER AND LOCAL SERVICES (CLS) (NOW EMPLOYMENT, SOCIAL SECURITY AND HOUSING (ESSH))

Presented to the States on 11th April 2025 by the Minister for Treasury and Resources

STATES GREFFE

2025  R.48

Treasury and Exchequer Ministerial Decision Report

TRANSFER OF THE INTERNATIONAL CULTURAL CENTRE FROM CABINET OFFICE TO CLS (NOW ESSH)

1. Purpose of Report

To enable the Minister to approve a recurring transfer of £220,000 and 1.5 FTE relating to the operation of the International Cultural Centre (ICC) from the Cabinet Office Head of Expenditure to the Customer and Local Services (CLS) (now Employment, Social Security and Housing (ESSH)) Head of Expenditure.

2. Background

Prior to the transition of Government in early 2024, the ICC was operated as multi-functional organisation which provided grant funding for events, event management, supportive services, cultural engagement, and other related services to minority communities in Jersey.

Following the transition of government, Deputy Alves , as Assistant Chief Minister, was given responsibility for the ICC and sought to redefine it as a primarily supportive service to engage with minority communities, support integration and social engagement by new entrants, and provide a signposting and social providing service. This would require new facilities, staffing, systems and premises.

After significant work through 2024, it has been agreed that the best use of the recurring £220,000 funding available to the ICC is a degree of integration with an established supportive service. Following discussion with the Minister for Social Security, co-location and partial integration with ESSH was selected as the best outcome for the ICC. In practice, the ICC will retain a public-facing identity and continue a reduced programme of media and community engagement with limited grant-funding capacity, while relying on ESSH for all back-office support and advisory functions.

As part of that agreement, the ICC funding will to be transferred to the CLS (now ESSH) Head of Expenditure to fund support staff and associated costs. A proportion of the funds will be used to continue public-facing activity to highlight ICC services and attract less-reachable communities to the service provision.

Staff consultation has now taken place, operationally it is proposed to move the full year budget and associated spend / income to date from 1 Jan 2025, with line management changing by agreement with the staff and the new line management arrangements within ESSH.

3. Recommendation

The Minister is recommended to approve the recurring transfer of £220,000 and 1.5 FTE from the Cabinet Office Head of Expenditure to the CLS (now ESSH) Head of Expenditure.

4. Reasons for Decision

Article 18(1)(a) of the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2019 states that a specified amount appropriated for one head of expenditure may, with the approval of the Minister for Treasury and Resources, be used for the purposes of another head of expenditure that is set out in the government plan / budget.

Article 18(4) of the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2019 states that the Minister shall give the States Assembly at least 4 weeks' notice before an amount is transferred under paragraph (1)(a).

Article 18(5) of the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2019 states that if a direction under this Article would affect a head of expenditure that relates to the responsibilities of any Minister, that Minister must be consulted before the direction is made. The Chief Minister, the Assistant Chief Minister with responsibility for the ICC and the Minister for Social Security have been consulted.

To comply with P.67/1999 which charges the Minister for Treasury and Resources to regulate the number of persons that may be employed by the States.

5. Resource Implications

The CLS Head of Expenditure to increase by £220,000 and the Cabinet Office Head of Expenditure to decrease by an identical amount.

The Cabinet Office budgeted FTE to decrease by 1.5 and the ESSH FTE to increase by an identical amount.

This decision does not change the total amount of expenditure approved by the States in the Budget 2025- 2028 and the transfer will be reflected in the next Budget 2026-2029 cash limits.