Pan-Island Commissioner for Standards Annual Report 2024

STATES OF JERSEY

PAN-ISLAND COMMISSIONER FOR STANDARDS ANNUAL REPORT 2024

Presented to the States on 6th March 2025 by the Privileges and Procedures Committee

STATES GREFFE

2025  R.30

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REPORT

In accordance with the provisions of Article 12 of the Commissioner for Standards (Jersey) Law 2017, the Privileges and Procedures Committee is pleased to present the Commissioner for Standard's 2024 Annual Report to the Assembly.

The Committee would like to place on record its thanks to Dr. Melissa McCullough, the Commissioner for Standards, for her work since she took up her position in March 2023.

The Committee has been encouraged that 2024 saw a reduction in the overall number of complaints received by the Commissioner, and also in the number of complaints submitted by Members against each other.

No  Members  were  found  to  have  breached  the  Code  of  Conduct  as  a  result  of the investigations concluded in 2024.

The  Committee  recognises  that  the  Commissioner's  role  in  upholding  standards goes beyond the investigation of complaints and helps raise public confidence and trust in the Assembly by promoting and supporting a culture among Members that encourages ethical behaviour.

R.30/2025

Commissioner for Standards Annual Report 2024, Jersey

Contents

 1  Introduction................................................................................................................................. 3

2. Functions of the Commissioner.............................................................................................. 3
3. Complaints overview................................................................................................................ 4
4. Investigation Reports................................................................................................................5
5. Other work...................................................................................................................................5
6. Resources.....................................................................................................................................6
7. Acknowledgements ..................................................................................................................6

1 Introduction

1. This  is  my  second  report  since  taking  up  the  role  of  Pan-Island  Commissioner  for Standards in March 2023.
2. This report is submitted in accordance with Part 3 Paragraph 12 of the Commissioner for Standards (Jersey) Law 2017. It provides information on complaints received in Jersey from 1st January 2024 to 31st December 2024 including analysis of the number of complaints, summary of any completed investigations, resources associated with the Office and other work carried out during this year.

2 Functions of the Commissioner

1. The functions of the Commissioner are set out in Part 3 Paragraph 9 of the Commissioner for Standards (Jersey) Law 2017 and may be summarised as follows:

to investigate a complaint to the Commissioner that, at a relevant time, a breach of a code as in force at that time occurred;

to initiate an investigation if the Commissioner believes that, at a relevant time, a breach of a code as in force at that time may have occurred;

to report to the PPC on the outcome of any investigation;

on the Commissioner's own initiative or, if requested by the PPC, to give advice on any matter relating to standards of conduct of elected members of the States or standards of conduct and practice of Ministers and Assistant Ministers, including proposals to change a code;

if requested by the Chief Minister, to give advice on any matter relating to standards of conduct and practice of Ministers and Assistant Ministers, including proposals to change the code referred to in paragraph (b) of the definition "code".

2. Part 3 Paragraph 11 of the Commissioner for Standards (Jersey) Law 2017 states that "The Commissioner shall make and publish a statement of the manner in which he or she proposes to discharge his or her functions under this Law and any other enactment".
3. In accordance with the 2017 legislation, all investigations are carried out in accordance with the processes contained in the Statement. This Statement will be reviewed in 2025.

3 Complaints Overview

1. A total of 13 complaints were received during the 2024 reporting period up to 31 December  2024. Of the 13 complaints received, 10 were inadmissible (77%), 2 were admissible (23%) with both remaining open at the time of writing.  Table 1 shows a breakdown of complaints received.

Table 1. Complaints overview 2024

2. Of  the  complaints  received,  77%  were  complaints  from  members  of  the  public against Members/Ministers.  Only 23% of complaints were submitted by Members against Members, a 70% reduction from 2023.
3. Two investigations are ongoing, with the reports still to be completed at the end of December 2024. These will be presented in summary in next year's annual report.
4. I  successfully  carried  out  preliminary  assessments  of  all  complaints  and  full investigations  through  in-person  and  remote  interviewing,  obtaining  legal  advice when necessary.

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4 Investigation Report Summaries

4.1  I conducted two investigations this year. These investigations and subsequent reports are ongoing and a summary will be included in my 2025 annual report.

5 Other Work

1. In addition  to considering all in-year complaints and carrying out investigations, I also attended  internal  and external meetings, provided advice to members when requested and contributed to external consultations.
2. I attended the Standards Network conference at the Northern Ireland Assembly on 10 and 11 October 2024. The Standards Network is made up of representatives from the Offices  of  the  Commissioners  for  Standards  and  the  parliamentary  staff  with standards-related responsibilities in the House of Commons, the House of Lords, the Scott ish Parliament, the Welsh Parliament, the Northern Ireland Assembly, Jersey  & Guernsey  Assemblies  and  the  Houses  of  the  Oireachtas.  It  provides  a  forum  for knowledge exchange 3 and shared learning and meets approximately every eighteen months. The meeting provided an opportunity for open and frank discussion of issues of mutual interest relating to legislative ethics and standards of conduct, including best practice and developments across the jurisdictions.
3. In November 2024, I contributed to the PPC's Code of Conduct review .
4. Throughout the year, I complied with the Code governing my conduct and registered all relevant financial and other interests and all hospitality received.

6 Resources

6.1 The Commissioner is paid a daily rate of £500 per day. Table 2 shows a breakdown of the costs for 2024.

Table 2. Commissioner's Pay Jersey 2024

6.3

Total cost for investigation, casework and report writing was £15,000. 6.4

There was a 41% reduction in the Commissioner's pay in 2024 compared with the previous year.  This  decrease  was  primarily  due  to  a  24%  decrease  in  complaints  received  in  2024 compared  with  the  previous  year,  fewer  admissible  complaints and  fewer  reports,  and initial set-up costs attributable to 2023.

6.5

Administrative  costs  relate  to  general  meetings,  committee  meetings,  letters  of  advice, emails,  responding  to  consultations,  website,  WorkPro  (complaints  software),  and  other administrative issues arising.

7 Acknowledgements

I am grateful to all of those in the States' Greffe who have provided me with assistance and support  over  the  past  year  including  Lisa   Hart ,  Will   Millow ,  Casey  Tucker,  Eva  Patterson, Kellie   Boydens  and  Janice   Hales .  I  have  also  been  fortunate  to  have  had  support  from Standards Commissioners across the UK for which I am extremely grateful.

Dr Melissa McCullough Pan-Island Commissioner for Standards 18 February 2025

Commissioner for Standards Annual Report, Jersey 2024

The Commissioner for Standards can be contacted by email at: commissioner@pi-cfs.org