Jersey Heritage Trust: service level agreement and funding requirements (P.75/2010) – comments.

STATES OF JERSEY

JERSEY HERITAGE TRUST: SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENT AND FUNDING REQUIREMENTS (P.75/2010) – COMMENTS

Presented to the States on 19th July 2010 by the Council of Ministers

STATES GREFFE

2010   Price code: A  P.75 Com.(2)

COMMENTS

The Council of Ministers believes that this proposition would normally be unnecessary because it relates to 2011 funding matters and should properly be addressed as part of the debate on the 2011 Business Plan. However, the Council accepts that in this case the Minister is responding to the CAG's recommendation that the States should be asked to take a view about the level of activity to be undertaken by The Jersey Heritage Trust.

The Council of Ministers wish to show their support for the Trustees of the Jersey Heritage Trust, who have a very important task in safeguarding and promoting the Island's heritage assets, as part of maintaining Jersey's position as a highly regarded tourist destination. The Council therefore supports the proposition as amended and has made the appropriate provision in the Business Plan, on the understanding that the Trust will be required to take all possible steps to raise funds in order to minimise the effect upon States resources. The Trust should therefore be required by the Service Level Agreement to demonstrate that it has pursued all possible avenues of funding and sponsorship.

The Council of Ministers accepts present States funding levels for the Jersey Heritage Trust are likely to result in a revenue expenditure deficit of £200,000 in 2011. It also accepts the need for additional annual refurbishment funding of £465,000, in order to refresh  exhibitions  and  maintain  visitor  interest  in  the  heritage  sites.  The  2011 Business  Plan,  following  review  by  the  Council  of  Ministers,  therefore  includes additional growth funding of £350,000 for the Jersey Heritage Trust, to cover the £200,000 revenue expenditure deficit and to contribute £150,000 of additional public money towards exhibition refurbishment costs. The Council of Ministers has also agreed that if the Trust is able to demonstrate it has taken all reasonable steps to raise external funding and still has a shortfall, the Council of Ministers will seek to make good this shortfall in 2011 and in future years. The Council of Ministers considers this gives the Trustees the assurance they need to maintain present standards and service levels at heritage sites, without risk of a deficit arising, if other fundraising sources prove insufficient.

The strongly held view of the Council of Ministers is that the Trustees of the Jersey Heritage  Trust  should  make  every  effort  to  explore  other  fundraising  sources, especially in these difficult economic times. In particular it should actively seek new forms of corporate sponsorship, as other visitor attractions on the Island have done, and also individual donations via covenants and legacies, that are not presently being actively pursued. In addition, the Economic Development Department has offered to assist the Jersey Heritage Trust in organising an annual lottery, timed not to conflict with other lotteries on the Island, which that Department believes could raise enough to cover the £315,000 shortfall without detracting from other lotteries.

The  Council  of  Ministers  therefore  supports  this  proposition  subject  to  this Comment.

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P.75/2010 Com.(2)