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STATES OF JERSEY
STATES OF JERSEY COMPLAINTS PANEL: APPOINTMENT OF DEPUTY CHAIRMAN
Lodged au Greffe on 11th August 2014 by the Privileges and Procedures Committee
STATES GREFFE
2014 Price code: B P.142
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 Mr. Geoffrey George Crill as Deputy Chairman of the States of Jersey Complaints Panel for a period of 3 years.
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 set. 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 Chairman, 2 Deputy Chairmen and members of the Complaints Panel.
Vacancy for one Deputy Chairman
The term of office of one of the Deputy Chairmen, Miss Christine Vibert , expired earlier this year, and as she had already served on the Panel for longer than the normal 10 year maximum period recommended by the Jersey Appointments Commission for appointments of this nature, it was not possible for her to be re-appointed. The Committee would like to place on record its sincere thanks to Miss Vibert , who had served on the Panel since 1st January 1997 and who was Deputy Chairman for the last 18 months of her service. Miss Vibert made a tremendous contribution to the work of the Panel and will be sadly missed.
The selection process
The process to select a new Deputy Chairman to replace Miss Vibert was managed under the supervision of a member of the Appointments Commission, Mr. Julian Rogers. The process was undertaken in an open and transparent way as required by the Codes drawn up by the Appointments Commission. An advertisement was placed in the Jersey Evening Post seeking expressions of interest in the position, and 4 responses were received, all from existing members of the Complaints Panel. The expressions of interest were considered by a selection Panel consisting of Advocate Richard Renouf (Chairman of the Complaints Panel), Mr. Nigel Le Gresley (the other Deputy Chairman of the Panel), Mr. Rogers and the Greffier of the States. The skills and experience of the candidates were assessed alongside other criteria, such as their availability for this work.
The selection Panel was unanimous that Mr. Geoffrey Crill was the most suitable candidate to be appointed as Deputy Chairman. Mr. Crill has been a member of the Panel since October 2013 and his legal background makes him particularly well-suited to the role of Deputy Chairman. Biographical details for Mr. Crill are attached at the Appendix.
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. Geoffrey George 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 of the Commission.
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).