Annual Business Plan 2007 (P.92-2006) - tenth amendment (P.92-2006Amd.(10)) – comments

STATES OF JERSEY

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ANNUAL BUSINESS PLAN 2007 (P.92/2006): TENTH AMENDMENT (P.92/2006  AMD.(10)) – COMMENTS

Presented to the States on 11th September 2006 by the Council of Ministers

STATES GREFFE

COMMENTS

The Council of Ministers opposes this amendment.

The Council, in conjunction with the Planning and Environment Department, has detailed in the draft Annual Business Plan 2007 a clear process and timetable to address the funding of 3rd Party Planning Appeals and Dangerous Structures.

The Council is committed to bring these proposals to the States and therefore believes that this amendment is unnecessary.

The  Council is  also aware of the  funding pressures within  the Home  Affairs  department  and supports  the reallocation of any available funds from the discrimination legislation to other priorities within that department.

Although a reduction in the Home Affairs Department's cash limit of less than one percent may appear manageable, given the current funding pressures, there would be significant impact on service levels. These funding pressures arise across the Home Affairs area for the following reasons –

1. The Departmentcarried out anoperational and financial review of the Prisonin February 2006 whichrevealed a current shortfall in the Prison budget of £350,000.There is also a shortfall in funding for the Defence Contribution (which fundsthe Jersey Field Squadron)of£65,000which means that the total projected shortfall incashlimitin2007 is at least £415,000.
2. The Department had an anticipated budgetary shortfall going into 2006, but its budgetwas augmented at the beginning ofthe year by a transfer offunds from sumscarriedforward by other Departments from 2005. TheHome Affairs Departmentcannotrelyon having similar accessto possible sumscarried forward byotherDepartments at the endof 2006 inorder to bolster its cash limit in 2007.
3. Awardsmadeby the Criminal Injuries CompensationScheme,which has a budgetof£200,000, currently total£350,000and could reach£500,000by the end of the year. The Home Affairs Departmenthas no controlover this expenditure, which at best will cancelout any savings that the Department would havemade this year.
4. The Home Affairs Departmenthashadto keep postsvacantand review its recruiting plansin order to stay within its 2006 cash limit. A contingency plan has been developedto deal with the expected funding deficit next year and in subsequentyears.Thiswould seriously affect levelsof service to the public. A service prioritisation process has been carried out in order to identify those services which would suffer cuts. These cuts wouldimpact on front-line services unless they can be delayed orminimised.Using the unexpended portion of the fundsearmarked for the introduction of the Discrimination Law isthemost sensible wayof achieving this.
5. Pressures also arise due toexceptionalcommitmentsandunplanned tasks. World Cup policing, the JerseyLiveevent and the BouleyBay Headland firehave, together, created unbudgeted costs in the region of £170,000 in 2006.

It is important for Members to appreciate that meeting the funding shortfall that persists at the Prison would merely maintain service levels as they are currently. There are no funds available to fund the Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) which has been developed in response to the report by Her Majesty's Inspector of Prisons. A major part of this Plan is the improvement of educational facilities available to prisoners and the States has already signalled its support for this through Senator Perchard's earlier proposition. Discussions on ways to fund the PIP will be held separately.