Bailiff's Consultative Panel

STATES OF JERSEY

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BAILIFF'S CONSULTATIVE PANEL

Lodged au Greffe on 21st January 2003 by Senator J.A. Le Maistre

STATES GREFFE

PROPOSITION

THE STATES are asked to decide whether they are of opinion -

to r ef er to their Act dated 7th July 1992 in which they agreed to establish a Consultative Panel of elected

members of the States with whom the Bailiff would be able to meet in order to consult on a confidential basis in appropriate cases, and

to a g re e th a t the composition of the Panel should be revised and be comprised as follows -

th e se n i o r S e n a to  r;  

th e se n i o r C o n n é t a b le;

th e se n i o r D e p u t y ;  

th e P re s i d e n t o f th e Policy and Resources Committee;

th e P re s i d e n t o f th e Privileges and Procedures Committee;

th e P re s i d e n t o f th e Finance and Economics Committee; and

th r e e o t h e r m e m  b e rs elected by ballot by the States for a period of 3  years.

SENATOR J.A. LE MAISTRE

REPORT

On 7th July 1992 the States, adopting a proposition of Senator R.J. Shenton, "agreed to establish a Consultative Panel of elected members of the States with whom the Bailiff would be able to meet in order to consult on a confidential basis in appropriate cases".

In 1992 the States agreed that the Panel would comprise -

th e se nior Senator;

th e se nior Connétable ;

th e se nior Deputy ;

th e P resident of the Policy and Resources Committee; th e P resident of the Finance and Economics Committee; th e P resident of the Establishment Committee; and

th r e e members appointed by the States.

Although the Panel does not meet frequently I believe it remains a useful body and enables the Bailiff to discuss matters on a confidential basis with elected members. For example, matters discussed by the Panel in the recent past have included the appointment of the new Greffier of the States, the use of the Jersey crest by non-States organisations, the circumstances in which tributes from the Chair should be made in the States and the loyal greeting to HRH The Duke of Edinburgh on His 80th birthday.

Following the recent Committee amalgamations the Human Resources Committee has been incorporated into the Policy and Resources Committee and I am therefore proposing that the constitution of the Panel should be revised so that the President of the Privileges and Procedures Committee is made an ex-officio member instead. In addition, for the avoidance of doubt, I have also specified in the proposition that the 3  members appointed by the States should be elected for a period of 3  years by ballot following nominations from members. Although the first 3  members were appointed in this way in 1992, subsequent appointments have been by way of a proposition presented by the senior Senator which set out his three nominees. I believe it would be more appropriate for the 3  members to be appointed following nominations from the floor of the Assembly with a secret ballot being held if more than 3  members are nominated.

There are obviously no financial or manpower implications arising out of this proposition.