States of Jersey Complaints Panel: appointment of members.

STATES OF JERSEY

STATES OF JERSEY COMPLAINTS PANEL: APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS

Lodged au Greffe on 9th September 2013 by the Privileges and Procedures Committee

STATES GREFFE

2013   Price code: B  P.106

PROPOSITION

THE STATES are asked to decide whether they are of opinion

in  accordance  with  Article 5(2)  of  the  Administrative  Decisions  (Review) (Jersey) Law 1982, to appoint the following persons as members of the States of Jersey Complaints Panel, from whom members of Complaints Boards can be drawn, for a period of 3 years –

Mr. Stuart Catchpole, Q.C.

Mr. Geoffrey George Crill Mrs. Janice Eden

Mr. John Moulin

Professor Edward Sallis, O.B.E.

PRIVILEGES AND PROCEDURES COMMITTEE

REPORT

The Complaints Panel system

The Complaints Panel is established under the Administrative Decisions (Review) (Jersey) Law 1982, and it enables any person who is aggrieved by a decision made by a Minister or department, or any person acting on behalf of any such Minister or department, to apply to the Greffier of the States to have the matter reviewed by a Complaints Board. Once a complaint is received, the Greffier seeks the response of the Minister or department concerned before referring the papers to the Chairman of the Complaints Panel, who decides whether or not the circumstances justify review by a Complaints  Board.  If  the  Chairman  is  conflicted,  then  the  matter  is  referred  for adjudication by one of the Deputy Chairmen. If the Chairman or Deputy Chairman considers that the circumstances justify a Board, before holding a hearing, they may first attempt informal resolution of the complaint, but if this is not appropriate or has failed, the matter is then referred to a Board and a hearing date is normally set for 6 weeks  later.  A  Board  of  3 members  selected  from  the  Complaints  Panel  is established to deal with the case. If the Board finds in favour of the complainant it can request the Minister or department concerned to reconsider the decision. Article 5(2) of the Law requires the States to appoint the members of the Complaints Panel.

The current Chairman, Deputy Chairman and members were appointed by the States in July 2012. One long serving member, Mr. J.G. Davies, could only be appointed for 12 months and his term of office has now expired. One of the 2 Deputy Chairmen, Miss Christine Vibert , could only be appointed for 18 months and her term of office will expire in January 2014.

The current members of the Complaints Panel are –

Chairman

Advocate Richard John Renouf Deputy Chairmen

Mr. Nigel Peter Edgar Le Gresley Miss Christine Vibert

Members

Mr. Christopher Beirne

Mr. Robert Frederick Bonney Mr. Frank Dearie

Mr. Patrick David McGrath

Mr. Graeme George Marett

Mr. John Frederick Mills, C.B.E. Mr. Stephen William Platt.

As members are occasionally unavailable for hearings, or unable to participate due to a conflict, it was considered desirable to advertise for additional members to increase the pool' of persons from whom Complaints Boards can be selected.

The selection process

The process to select new members was undertaken in an open and transparent way as required  by  the  Codes  drawn  up  by  the  Jersey  Appointments  Commission.  An advertisement was placed in the Jersey Evening Post seeking expressions of interest in the position and 8 responses were received. Interviews were held by a selection panel consisting  of  the  Advocate  Richard   Renouf ,  Chairman  of  the  Complaints  Panel, Mr. Julian Rogers from the Jersey Appointments Commission and the Greffier of the States. The skills and experience of the 7 candidates who were available for interview were assessed alongside other criteria such as their availability for this work and the 5 people listed in this proposition were considered suitable for appointment. Brief biographies for each of the 5 candidates are attached at the Appendix.

One candidate was unavailable on the interview day and remains to be interviewed. If that person is considered to be suitable her name will be added to the proposition by way of an amendment.

PPC is grateful to all those who expressed an interest in serving on the Complaints Panel, as this is an honorary position and it is encouraging that people are willing to give up their time to serve on the Panel.

Financial and manpower implications

All members of the Complaints Panel serve in an honorary capacity and there are no financial or manpower implications arising from this proposition.

APPENDIX

Mr. S. Catchpole QC

Mr. Catchpole has recently  moved to Jersey and has a wealth of knowledge and experience  in legal  practice  covering  a  wide  range  of  domestic  and  international tribunals, including the House of Lords, Supreme Court, Court of Appeal and different divisions  of  the  High  Court in the  United  Kingdom,  together  with  domestic  and international arbitrations both as Counsel and as Arbitrator. Mr. Catchpole attended Colchester Royal Grammar School and graduated from Durham University with a B.A. Hons. in Law, First Class (ranked 1st in year) in 1986. He obtained the Maxwell Law  Prize,  also  in  1986,  and  was  called  to  the  Bar  in  1988.  Mr. Catchpole  is recognised  as  a  leading  silk  in international arbitration,  construction,  professional negligence, commercial litigation, energy and natural resources and insurance and re- insurance by Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500 and is consistently recognised as a leading silk in construction law and professional negligence in the Legal Experts' publications. Mr. Catchpole was one of 6 silks shortlisted for Barrister of the Year at The  Lawyer'  Awards  in  2008,  2009,  2011  and  2012.  He  was  awarded  the Construction Silk of the Year in 2008 at the Chambers & Partners Awards and was one of 3 silks shortlisted for the same in 2008, 2009 and 2010. Mr. Catchpole was appointed to the Treasury Supplemental Panel (Common Law) in 1992; Attorney General B Panel 1998; Attorney General A Panel 1999; Part-time Legal Member of the Proscribed Organisations Appeal Commission (one of 5 in the UK) to hear appeals under the UK Terrorism Act 2000–2001. He was appointed as a Recorder in 2004, was Governing Barrister Bencher of the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple 2008 and appointed as a Deputy High Court Judge (England and Wales) in 2010.

Mr. G.G. Crill

Mr. Crill is a retired Solicitor of the Royal Court of Jersey and is currently a consultant to Collas, Crill Advocates on a part-time basis. He attended Victoria College in Jersey and has been a Solicitor of the Royal Court of Jersey since 1977. Mr. Crill began his legal career as a Conveyancing Assistant at Crill, Cubitt-Sowden and Tomes in 1967. In 1977 he became a Solicitor in Crill, Cubitt-Sowden and Tomes and in 1979 became a Partner at Crill, Cubitt-Sowden and Tomes (latterly Crills). In 1992 he became a Senior Partner in Crill Canavan Solicitors and Advocates until 2009, when he retired from  practice.  Mr. Crill  is  currently  a  Commissioner  of  the  Jersey  Overseas  Aid Commission and also Chairman of the Risk Review Sub-Committee. From 2004–2010 he was a Trustee of the Jersey Heritage Trust, and in 2010 a member of the Carswell Review Panel (appointed by the States of Jersey to review the role of the Bailiff and other Crown Officers in Jersey). Mr. Crill has previously been a member of Solicitors' Disciplinary  Tribunal  and  Honorary  Secretary  of  the  Chambre  des  Écrivains (governing body of the Solicitors of the Royal Court of Jersey).

Mrs. J. Eden

Mrs. Eden attended Hove County Grammar School and began her working career at Barclays Bank UK where she took up many positions of responsibility, including teaching new recruits at the bank school. She has worked in other posts between 1970 and 1990, including breaks to raise her family.

She later continued her further education at Highlands College. From 1994 to 1996 Mrs. Eden gained a Certificate and a Diploma in Counselling and Theory, and a City & Guilds Adult Education Certificate 704 Stage 1 in 2000. In 2004, Mrs. Eden gained  a  Certificate  in  Couple  Counselling  with  the  University  of  East  London. Mrs. Eden held membership with the International Stress Management Association and  the  British  Association  of  Counselling  from  1997–2006.  Mrs. Eden  has undertaken  many  positions  involving  Stress  Management,  as  well  as  Private Counselling Practice.

While living in Jersey Mrs. Eden has undertaken various voluntary work, visiting Uganda and Kenya, Costa Rica and Mauritius. She has also been heavily involved with associations and charities, including Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide, Jersey Association of Complimentary Therapists Committee, Jersey Hospital Car Service, Jersey  Women's  Health  Action  Group,  Relate,  President  of  '76  Tennis  Club,  a member of the Job Centre Management Committee, assisting in a voluntary position at the Citizens Advice Bureau, and was a Rape Crisis Counsellor at the Jersey Rape Crisis (now part of Victim support).

Mrs. Eden  is  currently  owner/manager  of  a  Card  Shop  in  the  Central  Market  in St. Helier

Mr. J. Moulin

Mr. Moulin  retired  from  the  Civil  Service  in  2009  following  nearly  29 years  of service. Mr. Moulin was educated in Jersey at Trinity School and De La Salle College, and he went on to obtain a City & Guilds of London qualification in Motor Vehicle Engineering Parts 1 and 2 with credit and also an A' Level Business Studies in 1990. He was employed as a Qualified Vehicle Mechanic/Engineer at St. Helier Garages undertaking  a  5 year  apprenticeship.  In  1972  he  was  appointed  Workshop Foreman/Mechanic at Freelance Motors in Trinity , and assisted in the transformation of  a  country  garage  to  a  leading  franchise  dealer.  In  1980,  following  training, Mr. Moulin was appointed as an Ambulance Technician with the States of Jersey Ambulance Service. In 1985 he was appointed as a Station Officer, and in 1987 was appointed Assistant Chief Ambulance Officer. Mr. Moulin oversaw the establishment of a new training and development department within the Ambulance Service and also established a Major Incident Response Team and a fixed training programme to ensure the Service remains in a constant state of readiness to react to any large or major incident  that  threatens  the  community's  ability  to  function  normally.  In  1992, Mr. Moulin was appointed Chief Ambulance Officer until his retirement in 2009. During this time he was involved in a transformation of the Ambulance Service. In 2001, Mr. Moulin was awarded the Queen's Ambulance Service (Emergency Duties) Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct, and in 2002 the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal. He was made a Serving Brother of the Order of St. John in 2010. He also undertook the voluntary role of a member of the Jersey Civil Service Association in

1996,  representing  the  interests  and  protecting  employment  rights  of  States  Civil Service  employees  at  all  levels,  and  in  2003  was  appointed  as  President  of  the Association until 2009. Mr. Moulin has continued his voluntary service as a member of the Parish of Trinity Rates Assessment Committee, Social Security Income Support Appeal Tribunal and the Medical Incapacity Appeal Tribunal, as well as a member of the Family Nursing & Home Care Board.

Professor E. Sallis, O.B.E.

Professor Sallis retired in 2012 from a career in further and higher education, the last 15 years of which as Principal and Chief Executive of Highlands College. Professor Sallis was awarded a BSc. (Economics) Honours at the University of London External City of London College in 1969. In 1971 he was awarded a Master of Arts in Social Studies  (Research  Degree)  Newcastle  University,  an  M.A.  in  Public  and  Social Administration,  Brunel  University  and  in  1994  Doctor  of  Philosophy  (Quality Assurance in Education) Bristol Business School, University of the West of England. Prior to 1989, Professor Sallis worked in senior roles in colleges in London, Berkshire, Somerset and Surrey and the Civil Service. In 1989 to 1997 he was appointed Deputy Principal, City of Bristol College, and in 1997 was appointed as Principal and Chief Executive of Highlands College until his retirement in 2012. During Professor Sallis' career,  he  has  undertaken  many  roles  and  appointments  in  respect  of  education, training and employment, the most recent of which are Jersey delegation member of the  Bretagne/States  of  Jersey  Group  de  Travail,  developing  closer  economic, educational  and  cultural  links  with  the  Conseil  Général  d'Ile  et  Vilaine;  Vice- Chairman and Non-Executive Director of the Institute for Learning; and he was also a member  of  the  Jersey  Electoral  Commission.  Professor  Sallis  is  currently  the Chairman of the Registration Board of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy,  a  Commissioner  of  the  Jersey  Appointments  Commission  and  a Trustee of Jersey Heritage Trust. Professor Sallis was awarded an O.B.E. for services to education in the 2010 New Year's Honours List. He has received a number of other honours and awards, including Visiting Professor in the Academic Partnership Faculty of  Plymouth  University,  Honorary  Doctor  of  Education  awarded  by  Plymouth University,  Research  Prize  of  the  Learning  and  Skills  Improvement  Service, Fellowship of the City & Guilds of London Institute and Freedom of the City of London.