PPC Minutes 12th April 2011

A-CH/SC/116 405

PRIVILEGES AND PROCEDURES COMMITTEE (104th Meeting)

Business conducted by electronic mail

12th April 2011

PART A

All members were present.

Connétable J. Gallichan of St. Mary , Chairman Senator B.I. Le Marquand

Connétable P.F.M. Hanning of St. Saviour Deputy J.B. Fox

Deputy J.A. Martin

Deputy M.R. Higgins

Deputy T.M. Pitman

In attendance -

Miss A-C. Heuston, Clerk to the Privileges and Procedures Committee Note: The Minutes of this meeting comprise Part A only.

2011 elections: A1. The Committee, with reference to its Minute No. A5 of 8th March 2011, voter registration received electronic correspondence from the Chairman dated 12th April 2011 in and turnout. connexion with the voter registration and turnout campaign for the October 2011 424/2(72) elections.

The Committee noted that 4 bids had been received in respect of the campaign and had been considered by a selection panel at a series of meetings held on Monday 11th April 2011. The selection panel consisted: Connétable J. Gallichan, Committee Chairman;  Mr.  M.  de  la  Haye, Greffier  of the  States;  Mrs. L.   Hart ,  Assistant Greffier of the States; Mr. M. Capern, Principal Youth Officer; and Miss A-C. Heuston, Clerk to the Privileges and Procedures Committee. Presentations had been received in respect of each bid, and full consideration had been given to the nature, cost,  and  likely  impact  of  each  of  the  campaigns  proposed.  The  panel  had subsequently  agreed  that  the  contract  should  be  offered  to ba  Studio  in conjunction with E-Scape Interactive and that arrangements should be made to establish a contract for services in respect of the campaign, not exceeding £45,000. In addition, it had been agreed that work should be undertaken with the States of Jersey  Information  Services  Department  to  deliver  content  free  of  charge  on www.gov.je which would link to the new www.vote.je website.

The position was noted.

Public Elections A2. The Committee, with reference to its Minute No. A1 of the present meeting, (Expenditure and received electronic correspondence from the Chairman dated 12th April 2011 in Donations) connexion with a possible amendment to the Public Elections (Expenditure and (Jersey) Donations) (Jersey) Regulations 201- (P.51/2011 refers).

Regulations 201-.

424/3(3) The selection panel which had reviewed bids received from agencies tendering to work with the Committee in running the awareness campaign for the October 2011

elections had taken into account the provision under Regulation 16(1) of the Public

Elections (Expenditure and Donations) (Jersey) Regulations 2008, as follows:

"16 Arrangements for publication and distribution of election material

(1) The Privileges and Procedures Committee shall make arrangements for election material provided to it by a candidate to be published in or distributed with an English language newspaper circulating in Jersey."

The provision was also contained within the draft Public Elections (Expenditure and Donations) (Jersey) Regulations 201-, which had been lodged au Greffe by the Committee on 4th April 2011 (P.51/2011 refers). The selection panel considered that this approach may not enable the Committee to reach the widest possible audience and could be less cost-effective than other methods of distribution. It was therefore suggested that consideration should be given to amending the draft Regulations so as to enable the Committee to decide upon the best approach for circulating candidates' election material.

The Chairman had accordingly asked the Greffier of the States to request the Law Draftsman to draft an amendment to Regulation 16(1) of the Public Elections (Expenditure and Donations) (Jersey) Regulations 201- for the Committee's consideration. It was proposed that the amendment would enable the Committee to decide whether to publish the manifestos as per the current provision, or to publish and distribute such material by post.

The position was noted.