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STATES OF JERSEY
GOVERNMENT PLAN 2021-24
Lodged au Greffe on 12th October 2020 by the Council of Ministers
STATES GREFFE
2020 P.130
PROPOSITION
THE STATES are asked to decide whether they are of opinion
to receive the Government Plan 2021 – 2024 specified in Article 9(1) of the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2019 ("the Law") and specifically –
- to approve the estimate of total States income to be paid into the Consolidated Fund in 2021 as set out in Appendix 2 – Summary Table 1 to the Report, which is inclusive of the proposed taxation and impôts duties changes outlined in the Government Plan, in line with Article 9(2)(a) of the Law;
- to approve the amounts to be transferred from one States fund to another for 2021, in line with Article 9(2)(b) as set out in Appendix 2 – Summary Table 2 to the Report;
- to approve the proposed borrowing to be obtained for 2021, in line with Article 9 (2)(c), up to and including the amount set out in Appendix 2
– Summary Table 3 to the Report;
- to approve each major project that is to be started or continued in 2021 and the total cost of each such project and any amendments to the proposed total cost of a major project under a previously approved government plan, in line with Article 9(2)(d), (e) and (f) of the Law and as set out in Appendix 2 - Summary Table 4 to the Report;
- to endorse the efficiencies and other re-balancing measures for 2021 contained in the Government Plan as set out in Appendix 2 Summary Table 6 and reflected within each gross head of expenditure in Appendix 2 – Summary Table 5(i);
- to approve the proposed amount to be appropriated from the Consolidated Fund for 2021, for each head of expenditure, being gross expenditure less estimated income (if any), in line with Articles 9(2)(g), 10(1) and 10(2) of the Law and set out in Appendix 2 – Summary Tables 5(i) and (ii) of the Report;
- to approve the estimated income, being estimated gross income less expenditure, that each States trading operation will pay into its trading fund in 2021 in line with Article 9(2)(h) of the Law and set out in Appendix 2 – Summary Table 7 to the Report;
- to approve the proposed amount to be appropriated from each States trading operation's trading fund for 2021 for each head of expenditure in line with Article 9(2)(i) of the Law and set out in Appendix 2 – Summary Table 8 to the Report;
- to approve the estimated income and expenditure proposals for the Climate Emergency Fund for 2021as set out in Appendix 2 – Summary Table 9 to the Report; and
- to approve, in accordance with Article 9(1) of the Law, the Government Plan 2021-2024, as set out at Appendix 3 to the Report.
COUNCIL OF MINISTERS
REPORT
Introduction
In accordance with Articles 9(1) and 15 of the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2019, the Council of Ministers seeks the approval of the States Assembly to the Government Plan 2021-2024.
Article 9(1) of the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2019 provides that the Council of Ministers must prepare a Government Plan and lodge it in sufficient time for the States to debate and approve it before the start of the next financial year.
Article 15 of the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2019 sets out the effect of the approval by the States Assembly of a Government Plan.
Variation of Standing Orders and the lodging period
A minimum lodging period of 12 weeks ordinarily applies to a Government Plan.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Council of Ministers had planned to lodge the Government Plan for 2021-24 on 8th September 2020, so that it could be debated at the States sitting commencing on 1st December 2020, in accordance with the requirements of the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2019 and Standing Orders.
Bearing in mind, it is essential that the Government Plan is based upon, and responds to, up-to-date social, economic and financial information for it to be meaningful and have value, it was not possible to do that within the pre COVID-19 timeline.
Furthermore, due to COVID-19, the development of the Plan was delayed by approximately 2 months as resources had been deployed in emergency response to the pandemic. Therefore, a proposition was approved by the States Assembly to vary the lodging period for the Government Plan 2021-2024 only, P.72/2020, allowing 9 weeks for the Assembly to scrutinise the Government Plan. To mitigate any impacts on Scrutiny Panels of the shortened lodging period, the document has been made available to the Government Plan Review Panel 2 weeks earlier than the lodged document.
Structure of the Government Plan
Part 3 of the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2019 sets out the statutory content and scope for the Government Plan and is included in Appendix 1 for ease of reference. This requires certain specific information to be included within the Government Plan and also requires the Council of Ministers to provide any other information that the Council of Ministers believes that the States may reasonably expect to need, in order to consider the matters required to be set out in the Government Plan. The Government Plan 2021-2024, in Appendix 3, sets out this information.
The Council of Ministers has also published, alongside the Government Plan, further supporting information to assist the States Assembly in considering the matters set out in the Government Plan.
Draft Legislation containing a Taxation Draft and Social Security amendments
As the Government Plan 2021-2024 proposes imposing, or varying, a tax for 2021, in accordance with Articles 11 and 12 of the Public Finance (Jersey) Law 2019, the Minister for Treasury and Resources will lodge draft legislation containing a taxation draft that implements those proposals. This will be lodged in line with the 6-week lodging period as required by Standing Orders so that it can be debated and approved by the States in the same sitting as the Government Plan.
The Government Plan 2021 – 2024 also proposes various changes to Social Security contribution liabilities (including removing the States grant to the Social Security Fund); the Minister for Social Security will lodge draft legislation containing the necessary legislative amendments that implement the changes.
Dealing with the costs of COVID-19 and the Proposed Government Plan 2021-2024
The effects of COVID-19 on the Government's income and expenditure has been estimated at £255 million during 2020, with a further £87 million of costs anticipated during 2021. The assumption used to make that estimate is that Jersey remains at level 1 in terms of lock down and that schemes, such as the co-funded payroll scheme, continue throughout the year, but at a reducing level. Other schemes, such as the test and tracing programme, include cost estimates for 6 months of 2021, with the view that a charging mechanism will be decided, developed and agreed over the coming months, recognising that continuing with 100% of Government funding is not affordable.
In addition to this, if the States Assembly approves the proposition, a £50 million Fiscal Stimulus Fund is proposed as part of the support measures to the economy. This fund would bring forward projects that can generate business activity and support local employment.
There may be unexpected costs and we may not remain at Level 1 for the whole period; therefore, a £40 million ring-fenced reserve has been included in the plan. If both of these sums are not sufficient to cope with necessary expenditure in 2021, the Council of Ministers will need to come back to the States in order to amend the Government Plan.
Rebalancing Government Finances for 2021
The Council of Ministers were not able to present their efficiencies programme embedded in departmental cash limits for 2020 when they lodged the Government Plan 2020-2023. But they did commit to including the programme in future plans. This plan does that and the details of how departments have committed to release funding from their cash limits through efficiencies, changing how they are delivering certain services, and increasing the Government's revenue through further recovery of existing costs, moving towards full cost recovery of services, where appropriate.
£20 million is being delivered in 2021 and how that is being delivered can be found in section 3 of the Government Plan with a summary description of each measure available in the table attached to this proposition.
Amendments to the lodged Government Plan 2021-2024
States Members seeking to amend the Government Plan 2021-2024 are asked to note that the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2019 provides:
"13 Amendment to lodged government plan
- An amendment to a lodged government plan may, in addition to proposing the amendment to the plan, propose –
- the amendment of any enactment that imposes a tax or provides for the administration of a tax (whether or not the Minister has lodged a taxation draft that would amend the enactment); or
- the imposition of a new tax.
- A person, committee or panel who intends to propose an amendment to any element of a lodged government plan referred to in Article 9(2) must, in preparing the amendment, take into account the impact of the amendment on –
- the States' finances;
- the medium-term and long-term sustainability of the States' finances and the outlook for the economy in Jersey; and
- the sustainable well-being of the inhabitants of Jersey over successive generations."
In addition, it states that:
"14 Limitations on approval
The States may not approve a government plan that would –
- show a negative balance in the Consolidated Fund at the end of the first financial year covered by the plan; or
- authorise the transfer of money between one States fund and another in a manner that is inconsistent with any enactment or with the terms of a States fund."
Effect of Approval of the Government Plan 2021-2024
The Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2019 provides that the effect of the approval by the States Assembly of a Government Plan:
• Is an approval of the appropriations, financing and transfers set out in the Plan for the first financial year it covers, such that in that year; –
- an amount of not more than an approved appropriation may be withdrawn from the Consolidated Fund and spent in accordance with the Plan;
- a States body or area of operation specified under Article 9(8) may withdraw from the Consolidated Fund an amount, to be spent on the related head of expenditure, of not more than the lesser of –
the amount of income that is earned by, or is attributable to, the States body or area of operation in that year; and
the amount, set out in the Plan under Article 9(8) in relation to the head of expenditure, of the estimated income of the States body or area of operation.
- a States trading operation may withdraw from its fund an amount of not more than the approved appropriation and spend it in accordance with the Plan;
- the Minister may arrange financing in accordance with the Plan; and
- money may be transferred between States funds in accordance with the Plan.
• Is an approval of –
- the designation of a project, set out in the Plan, that is to be designated as a major project;
- the undertaking of the major projects that are set out in, or designated under, the Plan; and
- the proposed total cost, from start to finish, of each of those major projects.
• Authorises the Minister to direct how an approved appropriation for a reserve head of expenditure in the Plan may be spent (including on another head of expenditure) in the first financial year covered by the Plan; and
• Is not an approval of any appropriations, financing or transfers for the years following the first financial year covered by the Plan.
APPENDIX 1
Extract from the Public Finance (Jersey) Law 2019
PART 3
FINANCIAL PLANNING AND AUTHORITY TO SPEND Government plan and taxation drafts
9 Preparation and lodging of government plan
- Each financial year, the Council of Ministers must prepare a government plan and lodge it in sufficient time for the States to debate and approve it before the start of the next financial year.
- The government plan must set out –
- the estimated income to be paid into the Consolidated Fund in the next financial year;
- the proposed amount of any transfer of money from one States fund to another during the next financial year;
- the amount of any other proposed financing to be obtained for the next financial year;
- each major project, and each project that is to be designated as a major project, that –
- is proposed to be started in the next financial year, and
- has not previously been set out in an approved government plan;
- the proposed total cost, from start to finish, of each project referred to in sub-paragraph (d);
- any amendment to the proposed total cost, from start to finish, of a major project that was set out in or designated under a previously approved government plan;
- the proposed amount to be appropriated from the Consolidated Fund for the next financial year, per head of expenditure;
- the estimated income from each States trading operation to be paid into its fund in the next financial year; and
- the proposed amount to be appropriated from each States trading operation's fund for the next financial year, per head of expenditure.
- The government plan must also set out, more generally –
- the estimated income to be paid into the Consolidated Fund in the 3 financial years following the next financial year;
- the estimated amount of any proposed transfer of money from one States fund to another during each of those 3 financial years;
- the estimated amount of any other proposed financing to be obtained for each of those 3 financial years;
- the total estimated expenditures from the Consolidated Fund for each of those 3 financial years;
- the estimated expenditures from the Consolidated Fund for each major project to be carried out in each of those 3 financial years;
- the estimated income from each States trading operation to be paid into its fund for each of those 3 financial years; and
- the total estimated expenditures from each States trading operation's fund for each of those 3 financial years.
- The government plan must also include –
- the estimated amounts that will be in each of the States funds listed in Schedule 5 at the start and at the end of each of the 4 financial years covered by the plan; and
- any other information that the Council of Ministers believes that the States may reasonably be expected to need in order to consider the matters mentioned in paragraphs (2) and (3) and sub-paragraph (a).
- The Council of Ministers must not lodge a government plan that shows a negative balance in the Consolidated Fund at the end of any of the financial years covered by the plan.
- The Council of Ministers must –
- in preparing the government plan, take into account the medium-term and long-term sustainability of the States' finances and the outlook for the economy in Jersey; and
- set out in the government plan how the proposals in the government plan take those matters into account.
- The government plan may include a reserve as a head of expenditure.
- The government plan may, in relation to a head of expenditure, set out an amount of the estimated income to be earned by, or be attributable to, a specified States body or area of operation of a States body in the next financial year.
- The Council of Ministers must –
- in preparing the government plan, take into account the sustainable well-being (including the economic, social, environmental and cultural well-being) of the inhabitants of Jersey over successive generations; and
- set out in the government plan how the proposals in the plan take that sustainable well-being into account.
10 Proposed appropriations for non-Ministerial States bodies
- A government plan lodged by the Council of Ministers must set out, as the proposed amount referred to in Article 9(2)(g) to be appropriated in relation to the operations of a non-Ministerial States body for the next financial year, the amount that is submitted to the Council of Ministers by
–
- the chairman of the States' Public Accounts Committee, in the case of the office of the Comptroller and Auditor General;
- the chairman of the States' Privileges and Procedures Committee, in the case of the States Greffe; and
- the non-Ministerial States body, in the case of any other non- Ministerial States body.
- The Council of Ministers may include, in the government plan, a statement indicating whether or not the Council supports any of the submitted amounts referred to in paragraph (1).
- For the avoidance of doubt, the amounts set out in the government plan under this Article may be the subject of an amendment under Article 13.
11 Lodging of taxation draft
- If a lodged government plan proposes imposing or varying a tax for the next financial year, the Minister must lodge draft legislation containing a taxation draft that implements the proposal in sufficient time for the taxation draft to be debated and approved by the States before the start of that financial year.
- Paragraph (1) does not prevent the Minister from lodging other draft legislation containing a taxation draft at any time.
- If, at any time, the States approve a proposition that suggests that a taxation draft should be lodged and the Minister does not lodge draft legislation containing a taxation draft in sufficient time for it to be debated before the time when it should have effect, the Minister must explain why he or she has not lodged it.
- Only the Minister may lodge draft legislation that contains a taxation draft.
12 Taxation draft may be given immediate effect
- The States may by Act declare that, on the Act being made, a taxation draft in a draft Law has effect as if the draft Law had been passed by the States, confirmed by Her Majesty in Council and registered in the Royal Court.
- The States may extend the application of the Act to an ancillary provision that is contained in the same draft Law.
- An Act referred to in paragraph (1) may be made at any time after the taxation draft to which it relates has been lodged.
- If a taxation draft which has effect under paragraph (1) provides for the renewal of an existing tax, any enactment which was in force in respect of the tax as last imposed has full force and effect with respect to the renewed tax, subject to any taxation draft or ancillary provision which also has effect under paragraph (1).
- If, after an Act has been made under paragraph (1), a taxation draft or ancillary provision given effect by the Act is amended before it is confirmed by Her Majesty in Council, money that is paid or deducted in respect of it but that would not have been paid or deducted in respect of the version as amended and confirmed must be repaid or made good.
- If, after an Act has been made under paragraph (1), a taxation draft or ancillary provision given effect by the Act is not adopted by the States or is not confirmed by Her Majesty in Council, any money paid or deducted under it must be repaid or made good.
- In this Article –
- an "ancillary provision" is a provision in a draft Law that provides for –
- the collection and administration of a tax,
- the proper administration of matters connected with the imposition
of a tax,
- the interpretation, application, effect or commencement of a
taxation draft,
- consequential amendments, transitional arrangements or savings
that are supplemental to a taxation draft being given effect; and
- a reference to a taxation draft or ancillary provision includes any amendment to a taxation draft or ancillary provision that is adopted by the States before the Act is declared.
13 Amendment to lodged government plan
- An amendment to a lodged government plan may, in addition to proposing the amendment to the plan, propose –
- the amendment of any enactment that imposes a tax or provides for the administration of a tax (whether or not the Minister has lodged a taxation draft that would amend the enactment); or
- the imposition of a new tax.
- A person, committee or panel who intends to propose an amendment to any element of a lodged government plan referred to in Article 9(2) must, in preparing the amendment, take into account the impact of the amendment on –
- the States' finances;
- the medium-term and long-term sustainability of the States' finances and the outlook for the economy in Jersey; and
- the sustainable well-being of the inhabitants of Jersey over successive generations.
Approval of government plan
14 Limitations on approval
The States may not approve a government plan that would –
- show a negative balance in the Consolidated Fund at the end of the first financial year covered by the plan; or
- authorise the transfer of money between one States fund and another in a manner that is inconsistent with any enactment or with the terms of a States fund.
15 Effect of approval
- The approval by the States of a government plan is an approval of the appropriations, financing and transfers set out in the plan for the first financial year it covers, such that in that year –
- an amount of not more than an approved appropriation may be withdrawn from the Consolidated Fund and spent in accordance with the plan;
- a States body or area of operation specified under Article 9(8) may withdraw from the Consolidated Fund an amount, to be spent on the related head of expenditure, of not more than the lesser of –
- the amount of income that is earned by, or is attributable to, the States body or area of operation in that year, and
- the amount, set out in the plan under Article 9(8) in relation to the head of expenditure, of the estimated income of the States body or area of operation;
- a States trading operation may withdraw from its fund an amount of not more than the approved appropriation and spend it in accordance with the plan;
- the Minister may arrange financing in accordance with the plan; and
- money may be transferred between States funds in accordance with the plan.
- The approval by the States of a government plan is also an approval of –
- the designation of a project, set out in the plan, that is to be designated as a major project;
- the undertaking of the major projects that are set out in, or designated under, the plan; and
- the proposed total cost, from start to finish, of each of those major projects.
- The approval by the States of a government plan authorises the Minister to direct how an approved appropriation for a reserve head of
expenditure in the plan may be spent (including on another head of expenditure) in the first financial year covered by the plan.
- For the avoidance of doubt, approval by the States of a government plan is not an approval of any appropriations, financing or transfers for the years following the first financial year covered by the plan.
16 Amendment to an approved government plan
- The States may amend an approved government plan only on a proposition lodged by the Council of Ministers.
- A proposition to amend an approved government plan must not result in the plan showing a negative balance in the Consolidated Fund at the end of any financial year covered by the plan.
Supplementary powers
17 Approval still pending at start of financial year
- This Article applies if the States have not approved a lodged government plan before the start of the first financial year covered by the plan.
- For each month of that year during which the government plan remains unapproved, an amount up to the maximum set out in paragraph (4) may be withdrawn from the Consolidated Fund in respect of a proposed head of expenditure set out in the unapproved plan if there is an equivalent head of expenditure set out in the most recently approved government plan.
- For each month of that year during which the government plan remains unapproved, a States trading operation may withdraw an amount up to the maximum set out in paragraph (4) from its fund in respect of a proposed head of expenditure set out in the unapproved plan if there is an equivalent head of expenditure, under which an amount is appropriated from that fund, set out in the most recently approved government plan.
- The maximum referred to in paragraphs (2) and (3) is 1/12th of the amount of the appropriation for the equivalent head of expenditure set out in the most recently approved government plan.
- Articles 18 and 22 apply, with any modifications that the circumstances require, with respect to heads of expenditure in the unapproved government plan.
- Paragraphs (2) and (3) cease to apply as soon as the States approves the government plan referred to in paragraph (1), and in that case any amounts withdrawn under this Article are treated as being withdrawn under that plan.
18 Power to re-allocate
- Despite an approved government plan, the Minister may direct that a specified amount appropriated under the plan for one head of expenditure be allocated to another head of expenditure that is –
- set out in the plan; or
- a new head of expenditure relating to a major project set out in, or designated by, the plan or a previously approved government plan.
- The specified amount may be withdrawn from the Consolidated Fund and spent on that other head of expenditure in the same financial year
for which the amount was appropriated, as if the amount had been appropriated for that other head of expenditure.
- For the avoidance of doubt, the total amount appropriated for the original head of expenditure is decreased by the specified amount.
- The Minister must give the States at least 4 weeks' notice of the day on which the Minister proposes to give a direction under this Article and, if a proposition objecting to the proposed direction is lodged before that day, the Minister must not give the direction unless and until the States reject the proposition or the proposition is withdrawn.
- If a direction under this Article would affect a head of expenditure that relates to the responsibilities of any Minister, that Minister must be consulted before the direction is made.
19 Power to transfer amounts to following year's reserve
Despite an approved government plan, the Minister may direct that an unspent amount appropriated for a head of expenditure in one financial year be deemed to be appropriated for a reserve head of expenditure for the following financial year.
20 Power to transfer major project amounts to following year
Despite an approved government plan, the Minister may direct that an unspent amount appropriated for a head of expenditure for a major project in one financial year is deemed to be appropriated for a head of expenditure for that major project for the following financial year.
21 Power to allocate excess income
- This Article applies if –
- an approved government plan includes, under Article 9(8), the estimated income that will be earned by, or be attributable to, a States body or by an area of operation of a States body during the first financial year covered by the plan; and
- income in excess of that estimate is earned by, or attributable to, the States body or area of operation during that financial year.
- Despite the approved government plan, the Minister may direct that the excess income referred to in paragraph (1)(b) be allocated to a head of expenditure set out in the plan.
- The amount subject to the Minister's direction may be withdrawn from the Consolidated Fund and spent on that head of expenditure in the first financial year covered by the approved government plan, as if the amount had been appropriated for that head of expenditure.
22 Limitations on powers – non-Ministerial States bodies and States
trading operations
- The Minister may give a direction under any of Articles 18 to 21 with respect to a head of expenditure that relates to the operations of a non- Ministerial States body only with the approval of –
- the chairman of the States' Public Accounts Committee, in the case of the Comptroller and Auditor General;
- the chairman of the States' Privileges and Procedures Committee, in the case of the States Greffe; or
- the accountable officer of the non-Ministerial States body, in any other case.
- Amounts appropriated from a States trading operation's fund may only be allocated under Article 18 to –
- another head of expenditure, set out in the plan, for which amounts are appropriated from that fund, or
- a new head of expenditure relating to a major project, described in Article 18(1)(b), that is being undertaken by the States trading operation.
- Articles 19 and 21 do not apply with respect to amounts appropriated in relation to a States trading operation from the Consolidated Fund or its fund.
23 Semi-annual updates
- The Minister must, in accordance with paragraph (2), prepare and present to the States a written statement setting out –
- each function undertaken, within the applicable 6-month period referred to in paragraph (2), under any of Articles 18 to 21, 24 and 26 to 28; and
- each direction given, within the applicable 6-month period referred to in paragraph (2), by the Minister under Article 15(3) with respect to the amounts appropriated for a reserve head of expenditure.
- The Minister must present the statement in respect of the first 6 months of a financial year no later than 31st August of that year, and must present the statement in respect of the second 6 months of the financial year no later than the last day of February of the next year.
Emergency expenditures
24 Authority to withdraw a specified amount
- Despite an approved government plan, the Minister may authorise the withdrawal of a specified amount from the Consolidated Fund if he or she is satisfied that –
- the circumstances described in paragraph (2) require an immediate expenditure; and
- no other amount, or an insufficient amount, may be withdrawn from the Consolidated Fund under the applicable approved government plan.
- The circumstances referred to in paragraph (1)(a) are –
- a state of emergency has been declared under the Emergency Powers and Planning (Jersey) Law 19904; or
- the Minister is satisfied that there exists an immediate threat to the health or safety of any of the inhabitants of Jersey, to the stability of the economy in Jersey or to the environment.
- The Minister must present a notice to the States of a withdrawal under paragraph (1) as soon as is practicable after it occurs.
- If the amount specified under paragraph (1) is less than £10 million, the Minister may, despite the approved government plan, direct that the amount be appropriated from the Consolidated Fund.
- If the amount specified under paragraph (1) is £10 million or more, the applicable approved government plan must be amended accordingly under Article 16.
APPENDIX 2 Summary Tables
Summary Table 1 – Proposed States Income
| 2021 Estimate (£000) | 2022 Estimate (£000) | 2023 Estimate (£000) | 2024 Estimate (£000) |
|
Income Tax |
| ||||
Personal Income Tax | 461,000 | 500,000 | 534,000 | 561,000 |
|
Companies | 97,000 | 103,000 | 108,000 | 113,000 |
|
Provision for Bad Debt | (6,000) | (6,000) | (3,000) | (3,000) |
|
Income Tax Total | 552,000 | 597,000 | 639,000 | 671,000 |
|
|
| ||||
Goods & Services Tax (GST) |
| ||||
Goods & Services Tax (GST) | 75,700 | 82,000 | 85,600 | 89,400 |
|
ISE Fees | 8,910 | 8,910 | 8,910 | 8,910 |
|
GST Total | 84,610 | 90,910 | 94,510 | 98,310 |
|
|
| ||||
Impôt Duties |
| ||||
Impôt Duties Spirits | 7,185 | 7,293 | 7,476 | 7,701 |
|
Impôt Duties Wine | 8,986 | 9,122 | 9,340 | 9,622 |
|
Impôt Duties Cider | 860 | 855 | 858 | 868 |
|
Impôt Duties Beer | 6,569 | 6,633 | 6,691 | 6,791 |
|
Impôt Duties Tobacco | 16,463 | 15,715 | 15,933 | 15,352 |
|
Impôt Duties Fuel | 24,993 | 27,517 | 27,895 | 28,307 |
|
Impôt Duties Goods (Customs) | 200 | 200 | 200 | 200 |
|
Vehicle Emissions Duty (VED) | 2,730 | 2,644 | 2,644 | 2,644 |
|
Impôt Duties | 67,986 | 69,979 | 71,037 | 71,485 |
|
|
| ||||
Stamp Duty |
| ||||
Stamp Duty | 26,306 | 25,507 | 26,276 | 27,078 |
|
Probate | 2,400 | 2,400 | 2,400 | 2,400 |
|
Stamp Duty on Share Transfer (LTT) | 2,247 | 2,342 | 2,442 | 2,545 |
|
Stamp Duty | 30,953 | 30,249 | 31,118 | 32,023 |
|
|
| ||||
Central Scenario | 735,549 | 788,138 | 835,665 | 872,818 |
|
Annual growth % | 2.2% | 7.1% | 6.0% | 4.4% |
|
Increased collections - Domestic Compliance | 8,600 | 10,900 | 12,000 | 13,500 |
|
Additional Tax measures |
|
| 0 | 10,000 |
|
Additional ISE Fees | 3,500 | 3,500 | 3,500 | 3,500 |
|
|
| ||||
Total General Tax Revenue | 747,649 | 802,538 | 851,165 | 899,818 |
|
|
| ||||
Island Rate Income from Parishes | 13,486 | 13,809 | 14,155 | 14,523 |
|
Other States Income - Dividends | 8,133 | 8,568 | 8,918 | 9,347 |
|
Other States Income - Non-Dividends | 5,473 | 5,784 | 7,967 | 7,949 |
|
Other States Income - return from Andium Homes and Housing Trusts | 31,774 | 32,618 | 33,520 | 34,445 |
|
Other Government Income | 58,866 | 60,779 | 64,560 | 66,264 |
|
|
| ||||
Total States Income | 806,515 | 863,318 | 915,724 | 966,081 |
|
|
Summary Table 2 – Transfers to the Consolidated Fund
2021 2022 2023 2024 (£000) (£000) (£000) (£000)
Health Insurance Fund to Consolidated Fund 11,300 13,000 12,160 7,825 Charitable Funds to Consolidated Fund 1,044 989 0 0 Loans Funds to Consolidated Fund 0 5,700 0 0 Criminal Offences Confiscation Fund to Consolidated Fund 1,956 1,609 2,396 0 Total transfers to/from the Consolidated Fund 14,300 21,298 14,556 7,825
Summary Table 3 – Proposed borrowing for 2021
2021 2022 2023 2024 (£000) (£000) (£000) (£000)
Funding required from Revolving Credit Facility 335,953 70,864 -5,547 -6,808
Summary Table 4 – Full costs of projects designated as a Major Project, to be started in 2021 and projects with amended totals since Government Plan 2020
| Department | 2020-2023 Governmen t Plan Full Cost (£000) | 2021-2024 Government Plan Full Cost (£000) |
MS Foundation | COO | 9,000 | 7 ,000 |
VCP Replacement School | CYPES | - | |
Mont a l'Abbe Secondary School | CYPES |
| |
Redesign of Greenfields | CYPES |
| |
Learning Difficulties - Specialist Accommodation | HCS |
| |
Fort Regent (Early Phase) | IHE |
| 4 ,800 |
Our Hospital (Phase Two) | HCS |
| |
Digital Care Strategy | HCS |
| 1 6,185 |
Office Modernisation | OCE |
| |
Total |
| 9,000 | 9 2,135 |
Summary Table 5(i) Proposed 2021 Revenue Heads of Expenditure
Expenditure Head of Income
Allocation Expenditure (£000)
(£000) (£000)
Departments
Chief Operating Office 1,029 37,667 36,638 Children, Young People, Education and Skills 19,845 180,131 160,286 Customer and Local Services 9,486 100,901 91,415 Infrastructure, Housing and Environment 32,592 77,163 44,571 Health and Community Services 25,031 252,466 227,435 Jersey Overseas Aid 0 12,374 12,374 Justice and Home Affairs 3,457 33,070 29,613 States of Jersey Police Service 234 27,038 26,804 Office of the Chief Executive 145 8,650 8,505 Financial Services and Digital 54 32,865 32,811 Strategic Policy, Planning and Performance 589 10,436 9,847 Treasury and Exchequer 5,261 72,366 67,105 Covid-19 Response 0 87,277 87,277 Departments total 97,723 932,404 834,681
Non-Ministerial States bodies
Bailiff 's Chambers 68 1,909 1,841 Comptroller and Auditor General 69 939 870
1,292 8,885 7,593 Judicial Greffe
Law Officers Department 288 8,740 8,452 Office of the Lieutenant Governor 107 911 804 Official Analyst 53 656 603 Probation 88 2,459 2,371 States Assembly 96 7,244 7,148 Viscount's Department 806 2,518 1,712 Non-ministerial States bodies total 2,867 34,261 31,394
100,590 966,665 866,075 Total Departments and Non-Ministerial States bodies
Revenue Reserves Heads of Expenditure
Reserve for centrally held items 0 10,782 10,782 General reserve 0 54,060 54,060 Total Revenue Reserves Heads of Expenditure 0 64,842 64,842
Total Revenue Heads of Expenditure 100,590 1,031,507 930,917 Rebalancing expenditure to be allocated 0 (950) (950)
Total income/expenditure after rebalancing 100,590 1,030,557 929,967
Summary Table 5(ii) Proposed 2021 Capital Heads of Expenditure
Head of Department Expenditure (£000)
Central Planning Reserves T&E 1,900 Discrimination law, safeguarding and regulation of care IHE 3,600 Schools extensions and Improvements IHE 5,901 Infrastructure including the Rolling Vote IHE 11,732 Drainage Foul Sewer Extensions IHE 1,000
Replacement assets COO 5,000 Phoenix Software - Viscounts NON MIN 45 Court Digitisation NON MIN 1,648 Regulation Group Digital Assets IHE 1,290 Combined Control IT JHA 2,000 Electronic Patient Records JHA 667 Electronic Document Management Solution COO 500 IT for Migration Services COO 1,000
Service Digitisation COO 1,000 Jersey Care Model HCS 1,300
Replacement Assets and Minor Capital CYPES 200 Replacement Assets (Various) IHE 3,250 Sports Division Refurbishment IHE 1,300 New Skatepark (net of Ports of Jersey Funding) IHE 685
Replacement Assets and Minor Capital (1) IHE 3,500 Minor Capital JHA 236 Minor Capital-Police JHA -Police 200 Equipment Replacement JHA -Police 170 Replacement of Aerial Ladder Platform JHA 768
Conversion Courtroom 1 Magistrates Court NON-MINS 440 States of Jersey Police Firearms Range JHA 1,200 Prison Improvement Works - Phase 6b IHE 90 Prison Phase 8 JHA 666 Dewberry House Sexual Assault Referral Centre JHA-Police 1,800 Piquet House - Family Court NON-MINS 1,071 Health Services Improvements (including vital IT Investment) HCS 5,000 Five Oaks Refurbishment HCS 2,550 Rouge Bouillon Site review outcome IHE 2,000 In-patient/support services refurbishments HCS 1,044 Reserve for Central Risk and Inflation Funding T&E 1,500
Total 66,253
Major Projects
MS Foundation COO 2,570 Integrated Tech Solution COO 9,200 Cyber COO 6,500 Vehicle Testing Centre IHE 2,000
Learning Difficulties - Specialist Accommodation HCS 2,000 Fort Regent (Early Phase) IHE 4,800 Our Hospital (Phase Two) HCS 20,000 Digital Care Strategy HCS 3,400 Office Modernisation OCE 650
Total Major Projects Heads of Expenditure |
| 51,120 |
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Total Capital Heads of Expenditure |
| 117,373 |
|
Summary Table 6 – Rebalancing Government Finances in 2021
Minister | Department | Summary description | 2021 value (£) |
Chief Minister | COO | Transfer technology functions from CYPES and HCS into Modernisation and Digital continuing the application of OneGov principles. | 900,000 |
Chief Minister | SPPP | Defer the implementation of the Public Services Ombudsman for one year. | 378,000 |
Chief Minister | COO | Merge the support and re-plan commissioned research projects for the States Employment Board and Jersey Appointments Commission. | 200,000 |
Chief Minister | COO | Review and renegotiate the GoJ print contract securing some of the reductions in print volumes derived from an increase in home working and continued investment in technology. | 100,000 |
Chief Minister | SPPP | Defer the development of policy for Financial independence in old age by one year. | 50,000 |
Minister for Children and Housing | SPPP | Defer the development of policy for Long term housing by one year. | 25,000 |
Minister for Children and Housing | CYPES | Redesign the therapeutic support model for children with complex needs (including neuro assessment). | 200,000 |
Minister for Children and Housing | CYPES | Review and realign the commissioned budget available for antenatal services with demand. Note there will be no reduction to the service. | 180,000 |
Minister for Children and Housing | CYPES | Review and realign the budget for care leavers with demand. Note there will be no reduction to the service. | 100,000 |
Minister for Children and Housing | CYPES | Review and realign the budget for intensive fostering with demand. Note there will be no reduction in the service. | 50,000 |
Minister for Health and Social Services | HCS | Implement proposals from the HCS Zero Based Budget exercise once approved by the Minister. | 5,000,000 |
Minister for Home Affairs Minister for Home Affairs | JHA JHA: SoJP | Sell a domestic dwelling no longer required by the Fire and Rescue Service whilst compensating for the reduction in rental income (prudent estimate pending valuation). Through the application of enhanced workforce planning implement a vacancy factor equivalent to approximately 1% of staff costs. | 450,000 215,000 |
Minister for Home Affairs | JHA | Continue the digital transformation of GST and Customs services | 50,000 |
Minister for Home Affairs | JHA | Continue the organisational implementation of electronic rostering to replace paper based rostering processes. | 50,000 |
Minister for Home Affairs | JHA: SoJP | Restructure the Intelligence Administration function to reflect known leavers and vacancies | 20,000 |
Minister for Infrastructure | IHE | Revise and release a portion of the budget for the Health Estate in light of progress made with backlog maintenance and to reflect capital allocations within the HCS budget. | 4,000,000 |
Minister for Infrastructure | IHE | Reduce a portion of the property maintenance budget to reflect a reprioritisation of assets requiring maintenance; informed by the Office Accommodation Project. | 300,000 |
Minister for Infrastructure Ministers for Infrastructure , Environment, EDTSC Minister for Social Security | IHE IHE CLS | Re-structure Facilities Management across Government to create one centralised function with hub and spoke delivery aligned with the OneGov pDreinvecilpolpemes. nt of an IHE TOM to include reviews of the overall structure, sports division, business administration and the transfer of customer facing services to CLS. Defer the implementation of the Care needs at home project by one year. | 200,000 750,000 400,000 |
Minister for Social Security | CLS | Continued review of, and improvement, to customer services. | 61,000 |
Minister for Treasury and Resources | T&E | Reduce cash handling fees by increasing non-cash payment options | 30,000 |
Council of Ministers Council of Ministers Council of Ministers Chief Minister | Central Central Allocated by department SPPP | Increase income from new charges, and increased cost recovery of existing charged services, based on the initial implementation of a fees and charges fCoranmetinwuoer tok. manage inflationary pressures across government by retaining the budget for non-pay inflation and seeking best commercial outcomes to contract maConntiangeumee thnet. best practice of reviewing and securing recurring reductions in non-staff budget including locking in some of the spend reductions evidenced during COVID. Deferred Island Plan Review activity from 2020 | 950,000 3,718,000 750,000 (325,000) |
Minister for Social Security | JHA | Restructuring advisor posts | (19,000) |
Minister for Home Affairs | JHA | Restructure of frontline posts to resource JCIS/SOJPS dog handler | (20,000) |
Subtotal excluding incremental tax revenue 18,763,000 | |||
Minister for Treasury and Resources | T&E | Increase tax revenues through the continued enhancement of domestic tax compliance | 1,250,000 |
Total 20,013,000 |
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Summary Table 7 - Trading Operations 2021
Estimated
Annual
Income Income to be Depreciation
Operating Costs
(£000) paid into trading (£000)
(£000)
fund
Jersey Car Parking 6,199 5,670 529 1,414 Jersey Fleet Management 4,902 3,008 1,894 1,260 Total 11,101 8,678 2,423 2,674
Summary Table 8 – Trading Operations Capital Heads of Expenditure
Head of Trading Expenditure Fund (£000)
Jersey Fleet Management - Vehicle and Plant Replacement JFM 1 ,000 Summary Table 9 – Climate Emergency Fund income and expenditure
Climate Emergency Fund | 2021 (£000) |
|
Income | 2,700 |
|
Expenditure: | (4,403) |
|
Closing balance | 3,397 |
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APPENDIX 3 Proposed Government Plan 2021-24
Proposed
Government Plan 2021-24
1 1
Our purpose
Our purpose as the Government of Jersey is to serve and represent the best interests of the Island and its citizens:
In order to do this, we must:
Provide strong, fair and trusted leadership for the Island and its people
Deliver positive, sustainable, economic, social and environmental outcomes for
Jersey
Ensure effective, efficient and sustainable management of public funds
Ensure the provision of modern and highly-valued services for the public.
How to use the Government Plan 2021-2024
Part One sets out the approach the Government of Jersey has taken in this Government Plan to protect the Island s future. This includes how we will continue to respond to Covid-19, including through heath, social and economic recovery and fiscal stimulus, how we will continue to invest in the Common Strategic Policy priorities, how we have listened to Islanders and how we have taken into account sustainable public finances and sustainable wellbeing, as required by the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2019.
Parts Two and Three outline how the Government will invest in the five strategic priorities, while continuing to respond to the challenges of the global pandemic. At the same time, how we will continue our progress on modernising and driving efficiency across the Government.
Part Four sets out how the Government will make sure that expenditure is sustainable, using borrowing to support it, and enabling a plan to be delivered to balance the budget in the medium-term, continuing to invest in strategic priorities and preserving our reserves for any potential future shocks to our economy.
Contents
1 CMhinieisf tMeri nfoisrt eTrresafsourreywaonrdd Resources foreword 812
Introduction 14 2 GWeo vweillr npumtcehniltd rPerni ofirrsitt ies 3384
We will improve Islanders wellbeing and mental and physical 46
health
We will create a sustainable, vibrant economy and skilled local 58 workforce for the future
We will reduce income inequality and improve the standard of 68 living
We will protect and value our environment 74
3 MOuor dinevernstimsienngt Government 8872
Non-Ministerial investment 92 Rebalancing Government finances 94
4
Government Finances 102
Finances at a glance 104 Budget measures for 2021 106 Summary of finances 108 Financial and economic context 111 Financial Strategy 117 Guiding Principles 123 Public sector spending 2021-24 125 Capital 2021-24 132 General Revenue Income 145 Budget proposals 151 Progress of tax reviews 157 Government of Jersey Balance Sheet and States funds 161 Key fiscal measures for consideration in 2021 175
Appendices 180
Appendix 1: Key to abbreviations 182 Appendix 2: Summary tables 184 Appendix 3: New revenue initiatives 190 Appendix 4: Revenue expenditure initiatives in last year s 192
Government Plan
Appendix 5: Administrative tax measures 200 Appendix 6: Managing risk 202
Council of Ministers
Senator John Le FondrØ
Chief Minister
Deputy Carolyn Labey
Minister for International Development
Senator Sam MØzec
Minister for Children and Housing
Deputy Richard Renouf
Minister for Health and Social Services
Senator Lyndon Farnham
Deputy Chief Minister Minister for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture
Deputy Kevin Lewis
Minister for Infrastructure
ConnØtable Len Norman
Minister for Home Affairs
Senator Tracey Vallois
Minister for Education
Senator Ian Gorst
Minister for External Relations
Deputy Judy Martin
Minister for Social Security
Deputy Susie Pinel
Minister for Treasury and Resources
Deputy John Young
Minister for the Environment
Assistant Ministers
ConnØtable Richard Buchanan
Assistant Chief Minister, Assistant Minister for External Relations
Deputy Lindsay Ash
Assistant Minister for Treasury and Resources
Assistant Minister for Home Affairs
Senator Steve Pallett
Assistant Minister for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture Assistant Minister for Health and Social Services
Deputy Rowland Huelin
Assistant Chief Minister
Deputy Gregory Guida
Assistant Minister for the Environment, Assistant Minister for Home Affairs
Deputy
Hugh Raymond
Assistant Minister for Health and Social Services,
Assistant Minister for Infrastructure
Deputy
Scott Wickenden
Assistant Chief Minister, Assistant Minister for Social Security
Deputy Montfort Tadier
Assistant Minister
for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture Assistant Minister for Environment
Deputy Jeremy Ma on
Assistant Minister for Education, Assistant Minister for Health and Social Services Assistant Minister for Social Security Assistant Minister for Children and Housing
Chief Minister foreword
When we introduced the first Government Plan in November 2019, nobody could have predicted the unprecedented impact that the global Covid-19 pandemic would have on our lives, on our
Senator John Le FondrØ community and on our economy.
Chief Minister
It has meant a substantial disruption to the work of Government, impacting on our income and creating a significant increase in our expenditure, as
we moved quickly and effectively to meet the health, economic and fiscal challenges presented by the pandemic.
It forced us to re-examine the delivery of some projects, to re-prioritise how we use our resources, and to re-think how we continue to invest in our Island.
Covid-19 has not altered the determination and commitment of the Council of Ministers to improve Islanders lives through the pledges we set out in the Common Strategic Policy. It has also not changed my determination that we will do what is needed to provide a sustainable and long-term legacy for Jersey.
Nonetheless there is no doubt that since March 2020, dealing with the pandemic has been the priority, and I am proud of the way that the Government has responded.
Led always by expert medical advice, we took the steps necessary
to protect our community. We shielded the most vulnerable, built the Nightingale Wing, integrated the healthcare system with GPs, established an ethical care framework, set up the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) hub and ran the largest public health awareness campaign ever seen in
the Island.
Subsequently, we developed a testing programme which ranks amongst the most effective in Europe and implemented a comprehensive track and trace program to mitigate the spread of the virus within our community, whilst safely opening our borders.
We have also sought to protect the economic future of the Island. Our initial measures to assist local businesses were announced within 24 hours of Covid-19 being categorised as a pandemic by the World Health Organisation. This included the deferral of GST payments, the deferral of Social Security contributions and, in many cases, the deferral of rent payments for properties where the government acts as landlord. Shortly thereafter, on 18th March, we announced a multi-million pound package support for local businesses ranging from the loan guarantee scheme to the Co-Funded Payroll Scheme.
I believe we have responded well to the impact of Covid-19, and we remain prepared for the effects of a second wave of the virus, should one emerge this winter.
The measures set out in this Government Plan represent the continued ambitions of the Council of Ministers to meet our responsibility to protect Islanders from the pandemic, while ensuing our overarching aims and objectives in the Common Strategic Policy continue to be put first.
Protecting all Islanders, especially those at highest risk from the effects of Covid-19, will remain our priority as we continue to react to the medical and healthcare challenges presented by the pandemic. This includes ensuring the wellbeing of our Island s children; protecting our elderly citizens and those who feel isolated by the pandemic; and supporting those whose livelihoods are threatened.
We will provide investment and extra resilience to essential services, and do what is necessary to suppress the virus until a vaccine can be provided.
We will continue to fund the Nightingale Wing of the General Hospital, we will distribute Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as and where needed, and we will fund the provision of a vaccine to tackle both flu and Covid-19, when it becomes available for Islanders.
To drive our recovery, we will also continue to provide support to Island businesses through new economic stimulus and growth initiatives. We have already seen the success of early schemes, including direct payment of approximately £1 million to Income Support and Pension Plus recipients, the reduction of employee Social Security contributions by 2%, and an injection of £11 million into the local economy through the £100 Spend Local Card scheme.
A programme of timely, targeted and temporary measures to support
the economy through the remainder of the year and into 2021 will be established, with States Assembly approval, through a new Fiscal Stimulus Fund.
We must be also be prepared to address the long-term impact on our public finances. The cost of the health and economic crises, combined with anticipated reduction in government revenues, has resulted in unprecedented financial deficits in 2020 and 2021. These exceptional circumstances pose a very real threat to the sustainability of our finances.
This plan sets out the prudent and measured steps that Ministers will take to address those deficits, while continuing to provide necessary investment in our essential services, especially health and education, and a longer-term plan to balance budgets by 2024.
To cover the costs of responding to the pandemic, Ministers are proposing borrowing up to a maximum of £336 million next year, in addition to the Fiscal Stimulus Fund of £50 million. Should the States Assembly approve current plans to move to Current Year Basis (CYB) taxation, then the future repayments of the 2019 tax liabilities for Previous Year Basis (PYB) taxpayers will repay much, if not all, of this debt. Therefore, although Covid-19 has caused some financial challenges, the direct financial cost can be offset without a permanent increase in taxation, consistent with the long-term thinking and prudent approach that Jersey is renowned for.
The commitments made in the Common Strategic Policy, which underpin all of our work as a government, have not been forgotten. We will continue to put children first, to improve Islanders mental and physical wellbeing, to create a vibrant and sustainable economy, to reduce income inequality and improve the standard of living, and to protect and value our environment.
Our Island s children and young people have been particularly impacted by the pandemic, with detrimental effects on their education and personal development. We will be introducing the Covid-19 Schools Catch-up Programme to ensure that we address the loss of schooling suffered
by children at primary and secondary schools, alongside continued investment in mental health and wellbeing, which will have suffered as a result of the lockdown. In total, an additional £50.2million of expenditure will be made available, over the four-year period of this Plan, to support children.
While our Health Care Services have been successful to date in mitigating the impacts of the public health emergency, we must continue our programme of investment and change, ensuring that we have in place a health and care system that is capable of responding to our future needs in a way that is fit for Jersey s future.
From 2021 we will begin to implement the Jersey Care Model, which will enable a shift to a more preventative health service, through community and home-based services, enabling us to better cope with forecast demand from demographic change.
While Jersey businesses have shown resilience and tenacity in the face of the economic challenges of the pandemic, we must continue to support them through recovery and as we look to grow and diversify our economy. With recommendations from the Economic Council due to be received and considered in late 2020, we will develop their recommendations on longer- term economic renewal for consideration by the States Assembly and Islanders during early 2021, and begin implementation with the support of a new economic growth funding allocation.
Islanders whose employment and income have been impacted by the pandemic will continue to be supported, to ensure that disparities in income inequality and standards of living do not worsen. We will also remain committed to helping unemployed Islanders find work with the support of targeted Back to Work programmes.
We will ensure that we provide a home fit for the next generation and all those that follow with our new Island Plan, which will be changed to cover a shorter bridging timeframe, and enable us to live up to our commitment to the Island s environment.
This Government Plan also accounts for the continued improvements to organisation-wide change within the Government of Jersey to enable its continued transformation into a modern and innovative public sector which meets Islands needs.
The pandemic has demonstrated the importance of working together as One Government and using new technology to respond flexibly and at speed. In 2021, we will continue to invest in public-sector employees, reform our workforce and modernise how we work. This will enable the organisation to deliver better outcomes and more efficient services.
I know there will be yet more challenges facing our Island in 2021. While some, like the pandemic, will be unpredictable, there are many that we can anticipate and are prepared for - including the potential risks to the Island from a No Further Negotiated Outcome relationship between the UK and EU.
Detailed contingency planning is already underway and takes into account the range of possible outcomes from existing EU/UK future scenarios. We are adaptable and agile. We will meet the challenges of Brexit in the same way that we met the challenges of Covid-19, and with the same success.
The resolve of Islanders and their commitment to follow health guidelines and tackle the pandemic as a community has put us in our current good position. With this community spirit, I am confident that we can enter 2021 with the same resolve that has allowed us to successfully meet the challenges to our Island in 2020.
Finally, I would also like to take this opportunity to once again thank all of my Ministerial colleagues and the dedicated employees working across the public sector, not only to keep Islanders safe through the duration of the pandemic, but for their continued commitment to our Island, both in their day-to-day roles and in the production of this plan.
It is a testament to their work that we can propose the measures set
out in this document. A vision that will see Jersey safely through any coming challenges and provide the lasting legacy that all of the Council of Ministers are committed to achieving.
Minister for Treasury and Resources foreword
In this year s Government Plan, we seek to keep Jersey on a responsible and stable course
through what has been a turbulent year as we faced a global pandemic and economic downturn.
Deputy Susie Pinel
Minister for Treasury Following the lifting of many of the lockdown restrictions earlier this year, and Resources we have achieved a balance between protecting the Island s immediate
health from Covid-19 and making sure we protect our future health and wellbeing through appropriate economic support and investment.
As Minister for Treasury and Resources, I am also clear we need to protect our future finances. I have responsibility for making sure the Government prioritises the long-term financial sustainability of our Island. This means that we must respond, in the short-term to the effects of Covid-19 by funding the essential public services needed to respond to the pandemic, in the medium-term by supporting the wider economic recovery, and
the long-term by continuing to invest in our future by delivering on the priorities like education and healthcare.
This plan sets out the expected costs for us to manage the virus in
Jersey, without limiting, unnecessarily, normal economic activity. This
is the prudent course of action that protects the health and wellbeing
of Islanders and preserves their livelihoods and businesses. We are conscious of the balance of risks - the risk of a second wave in Europe
and the UK and a sharp slowdown in the world economy as a result of Covid-19, against the risk that we cause irreversible damage to our and our children s future by implementing costly and punitive restrictions on our economy during a recovery period.
This Government Plan includes a strategy of running deficits to support spending and investment in the coming years, with a return to balanced budgets by 2024. It is a plan that gives Jersey a consistent long-term framework for both economic and fiscal policy with the capacity to respond, in the short-term, to Covid-19 pressures. It forms part of the strategy that Ministers have put in place to reduce the impact on the economy while maintaining investment in education and skills, and a world class health care model.
Last year s Government Plan established the fiscal guidelines that this Government would borrow only to finance investment except under times of economic duress and would monitor the impact on net financial assets. This guideline is as relevant now as it was then. Nevertheless, considering the unprecedented nature of dealing with two global emergencies (a pandemic and a recession), the Council of Ministers has had to balance these two competing pressures.
The 2021-2024 Government Plan, in line with recommendations of the independent advice of the Fiscal Policy Panel, uses borrowing to fund the cost of the pandemic response and protects the strength of our reserves. I and the rest of my Ministerial colleagues have a clear and strong belief that the Strategic Reserve should be maintained in these uncertain times. We may not be through the worst of the pandemic or the economic recession and, with a likelihood that the cost of debt will be far lower than the long-term returns on our reserves, it is a responsible measure to protect the Island s permanent reserve.
Furthermore, and if the States Assembly agrees to my plans to move all Islanders to Current Year Basis, we can repay the short-term loss of the outstanding 2019 tax owed, over the 15 years from the future payments
of the 2019 Prior Year Basis tax. These payments would be time limited and avoid the need to raise taxes on Islanders working hard to preserve their livelihoods following the necessary lockdown measures. It would also make sure that the debts we incur to protect the Island from the effects of Covid-19 now, do not become a long-term issue for the next generation of Islanders and that we do our best to protect their future.
Part one Introduction
- WPhreon toeurcptuibnlicgh eoaluthre xIspelartsn wde r se fi fr ust ta ule rrt eed to the threat of a Introduction
Coronavirus pandemic in February, we, like other Governments around the world, immediately turned our attention to establishing the measures, processes and powers needed to respond to protect Islanders lives, livelihoods and wellbeing. At the same time, we had to continue to deliver essential services and as many other business-as-usual services as possible, while continuing to make progress with multiple Government Plan initiatives.
The stay at home and physical distancing restrictions, the closure of schools, Government and community facilities, and the public health measures put in place in the hospital all impacted on both how we have delivered public services this year and also on our ability to deliver many planned new initiatives set out in the 2020 four-year rolling Government Plan.
Public services, public finances and Government and legislative work have all been significantly disrupted by the pandemic. An urgent re-think was needed about how we continue to provide services and invest in
our Island, while at the same time developing and implementing plans to recover from the severe economic impact of the pandemic.
However, while there is a need to adjust what we do and how we do it, there is no change to the Government s core priorities, which were set out in the Common Strategic Policy in 2018. We will continue to focus on the things that matter most to protect our Island s future, and those strategic priorities again form the foundations for this revised Government Plan.
Our plan for 2021-24 has been formed by listening to Islanders and Scrutiny Panels, being agile in refocusing our strategy and building on the flexibility and improved working of our OneGovernment modernisation programme.
Listening carefully to the feedback we have received, and looking to the challenges and opportunities ahead, our focus in 2021 will be to protect our Island s future by:
Responding to the ongoing health and wellbeing challenges of Covid-19
and protecting our health services
Investing in our economic recovery Rebalancing the public finances
Investing in our future healthcare and education to protect the future of
Islanders.
Focusing on these core areas of strategic importance means that difficult decisions have needed to be made to defer the delivery of some initiatives as resources continue to be diverted to our Covid-19 response and securing our future.
In preparing this Government Plan, we have had to face some difficult choices and make some tough decisions on behalf of the Island. It sets out how we will continue to work towards our strategic aims and invest for the future, while making sure that we can continue to provide the level of public service that Islanders expect. At the same time, it outlines a plan to rebalance our public finances by repaying the debt incurred to fund our response to the pandemic while maintaining our reserves so that Jersey is protected and ready to respond to any further economic challenges.
Protecting our future by responding to the financial and economic impact of Covid-19
There is no doubt that the Island is dealing with a severe test of its financial and economic resilience. With the global economy expected to fall by more than 5% this year, the pandemic still poses a significant global threat, and with ongoing uncertainty over the impacts of Brexit for the UK and the Crown Dependencies, measures will be needed to help Jersey navigate through this crisis and set it on the road to recovery.
Independent forecasting in August from the Fiscal Policy Panel1 predicts
a severe recession for 2020, in common with other countries around the globe, with a long-term effect on the economy from which lost ground
in 2020 may take many years to make up. Recovery could be slow, and spread across several years, meaning that Government revenues will
be lower than forecast as the impact of the pandemic is felt in every household. While the immediate outlook remains challenging, with careful planning and targeted investment response in the right economic areas, Jersey can emerge from this crisis in a much stronger position.
Protecting our future by maintaining sustainable public finances
We must, as required by the Public Finances Law 2019, maintain long- term financial sustainability to make sure that Jersey remains a vibrant, prosperous and safe place to live, both now and for future generations.
In the last Government Plan, our focus was to put any additional funds
into the Stabilisation Fund to rebuild it, in line with the Fiscal Policy Panel s recommendations at the time. This was in order to maintain Jersey s strong balance sheet and comparatively large reserves, protecting the Island against unforeseen economic pressures.
Since the publication of that plan, Covid-19 caused a major deterioration in Jersey s public finances. Both the cost pressures of the health emergency and economic crisis, combined with the anticipated falls in Government revenues, have resulted in unprecedented financial deficits in 2020 and 2021, with deficits continuing throughout the period if no action is taken. These exceptional circumstances potentially pose a very real threat to the sustainability of our finances if no action is taken.
In this autumn s economic assumptions, the Fiscal Policy Panel recommended that, in the short-term, the Government should not put
up taxes or make large cuts to spending to cover this deficit. Instead it recommended running deficits in the short-term to support the economy and longer-terms plans to balance budgets by 2024, with flexibility to adjust to a changing and uncertain global financial environment during that period.
Our financial planning takes this recommendation into account, with deficits in the short-term and a longer-term plan to balance budgets by 2024. This will encourage the Island s economy to recover, support and stimulate broader investment and consumption and build confidence, minimising the impact on local jobs and livelihoods.
The latest income forecast is for £96 million less income in this year, compared to the forecast a year ago, with sizeable reductions across all years. In addition, across the next four years, we anticipate the costs of tackling Covid-19 and its wider impacts to be in excess of £400 million.
It has been possible to finance emergency expenditure and the wider impacts through drawing down the Stabilisation Fund and the balances held in our current account, which were intended for capital expenditure over the coming years.
It is our view that, in these uncertain times, we should not plug this hole by making damaging cuts to expenditure or by drawing down the Strategic Reserve. This would leave the Island with little financial resilience to deal with potential future shocks or further after-shocks to the economy arising from the current global crisis. This is consistent with the recommendation of the Fiscal Policy Panel.
Instead, we propose that we borrow to finance the impacts of Covid-19. The strength of our balance sheet, low debt levels and high credit rating going into this crisis have made borrowing possible. This is in line with Fiscal Policy Panel advice and maintains the strength of our reserves, our financial resilience and enables us to respond to potential future shocks to the economy.
In the longer-term, we will need to restore public finances with renewed attention on strengthening resilience and funding public investments, while supporting Islanders sustainable wellbeing.
Future Government Plans will consider how to rebuild the Stabilisation Fund as soon as the economic situation and public finances allow. This
is key to the Island s management of financial risk and uncertainty. This will include tight control over unspent funds, making sure they are used, first and foremost, to reduce our debt. This approach to borrowing means that, in spring next year, the States Assembly will make the final decision to approve the budget and funding of the Our Hospital project, which will include proposals to fund this through long-term debt.
Whilst the pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on our finances in the short-term, we have presented a plan, based upon sound economic advice, to bring forward measures in future Government Plans, that return us to balanced budgets and thereby minimising the impacts upon our reserves and enabling longer-term sustainability to public finances.
Borrowing
We are proposing to borrow up to a maximum of £336 million next year, in addition to the Fiscal Stimulus Fund (£50 million) to cover the costs of responding to the pandemic. This will provide flexibility and allow further work to proceed to minimise the scale of longer-term debt, required to replace the short-term facility in next year s Government Plan.
The annual financing costs of this debt have been included in the Government Plan, but debt has to be repaid and Ministers propose that, should the States Assembly approve plans to move to Current Year Basis (CYB) taxation, the future repayments of the 2019 tax liabilities for Previous Year Basis (PYB) taxpayers will be paid into a ring-fenced sinking fund to repay much, if not all, of this debt.
This will support the actions we are taking to restore public finances, while maintaining the strength of our reserves in order to respond to future shocks.
Social Security Fund
The Social Security Fund receives contributions from employers and working-age adults and, in normal times, an annual States Grant. The fund supports the wellbeing of Islanders by providing old age pensions and a range of working age benefits.
Following a States debate in 2020, it was agreed that no grant would be paid into the Social Security Fund in 2020 to allow £65.3 million to be allocated to support Covid-19-related financial pressures. Additionally, due to the exceptional financial pressure being faced by the Government as a consequence of the pandemic, it is being proposed that the States Grant
is not paid in 2021, 2022 and 2023, allowing an additional estimated £235 million to be allocated to urgent financial pressures. This critical element will support the Government in managing the lost income and additional costs associated with the pandemic and help to fund our capital and revenue expenditure programmes, whilst we implement a plan to return to balanced budgets by 2024.
For the purposes of this Government Plan, the Minister for Social Security will only be proposing a change to the Social Security Law to remove the States Grant for 2021. Further changes to the value of the Grant will be proposed during 2021 following agreement on the outcome of the review of the Social Security scheme.
In addition to the removal of the States Grant, the Social Security Fund has made a considerable contribution to our response to Covid-19:
Maintaining pension and benefit payments in the face of reduced
income from contributions due to the economic downturn
Reducing workers Social Security contributions by 2% from October
2020 to June 2021 as part of the Fiscal Stimulus programme
Enabling businesses and self-employed people to defer Social Security
contributions payable in the first two quarters of 2020.
In 2020, the Social Security Minister managed these pressures by transferring resources from the Social Security Reserve Fund. The Reserve has substantial financial assets, which have built up over a number of years. Additional transfers from the Reserve Fund, estimated at £263 million, will be needed over the next three years to maintain pension and benefit payments.
At the end of 2019 the assets held in the Social Security Funds represented more than seven years of fund expenditure. These assets form an important part of the overall financial stability of the Island and play a significant role in our credit rating.
By the end of 2024 the value of the funds is estimated to hold just under six years of fund expenditure. This still represents a significant investment in the pension provision of future generations of Islanders and is in excess of the target of five times spend established 20 years ago.
Ministers are determined to make sure that the fund continues to serve future generations and, as a priority, will undertake a full review of the various components of the Social Security scheme ahead of the next Government Plan to ensure the future balance is maintained at a fully sustainable level.
Last year s Government Plan identified the need for a review of the future balance of funding between the States Grant, employer contributions
and employee contributions. This work has been delayed in 2020 due to Covid-19 and this will now form an important part of the proposed review of the Social Security Scheme, as well as considering the burden of overall Government levies (taxes and contributions) on individuals, workers, businesses and employers.
The review will build on the public consultations previously conducted in 2016 and 2017 and will lead to proposals to be brought to the States Assembly during 2021 or incorporated into the next Government Plan.
Health Insurance Fund
The proposed Jersey Care Model will transform the way we deliver our healthcare in the Island. It is intended that some of the costs of the initial investment in the model and the digital care strategy will be met from the current balance in the Health Insurance Fund (HIF) over the next
four years.
The HIF receives allocations from Social Security contributions from employers and working-age adults and supports the wellbeing of Islanders by subsidising GP visits, the cost of prescriptions and other primary care services.
We will also extend the use of the HIF next year to fund a scheme to improve access to GP-led primary care services for financially vulnerable groups.
The HIF has supported the Covid-19 response in 2020, providing
more than £5 million of funding, including covering the costs of directly employing the Island s GPs during the lockdown measures.
The combination of underlying demographic pressures, funding of Covid-19 related healthcare schemes, the proposed transfers to support the JCM and the health digital strategy, and the funding of the new financially vulnerable access scheme are projected to reduce the value of the HIF significantly over the next four years. This is anticipated to result in the HIF holding £35 million at the end of 2024, representing well under one year s worth of expenditure.
In order to integrate the health and social care system we will need to take a different approach to funding and financial management across the system. A one system, one budget approach will need to be taken in order to truly integrate services. A review of the system financial sources, income, process and structures will be required over the next four years in order to create a sustainable, efficient model for health and care in the Island.
The investment in the Jersey Care Model and the health digital strategy
is absolutely essential and will help to contain the growth in the long-term costs of our health care. After investments, the JCM is forecast to save £23 million per year by 2036. However, it brings forward the need to deliver
a solution to make sure that health costs are funded sustainably and we will undertake a full review which will include taking proposals to the States Assembly - ahead of the next Government Plan to determine an appropriate model for future health funding.
The Minister for Social Security will bring forward legislation to create a transfer of £11.3 million from the Health Insurance Fund to support the Jersey Care Model and the Digital Health and Care programme budgeted for 2021.
The reviews of health and social security funding, as well as reviews of revenues collected to support other areas of government expenditure, will be co-ordinated to make sure the overall impact on individuals and businesses is fully considered.
Managing risk
The challenges and opportunities we are facing in 2021, especially as a result of our response to Covid-19, are key to enabling us to continue to support the Island s future prosperity.
As the impacts of Covid-19 continue to be understood then it is likely that additional risks and opportunities will be exposed. We will continue to develop and refine our approach to managing these, and other, risks to enable us to be as responsive as possible to the future needs of the Island and its community.
Alongside the obvious organisational risks, we constantly track and review anything which may impact our Island community, which includes physical, environmental and global risks.
Not only does this improve the delivery of services and achieve value for money, but it also reduces any unwelcome surprises and contributes to the sustainability and prosperity of our Island. Managing risks will continue to form part of all Government decision-making processes.
More information on the risks that we track and manage can be found at Appendix 6.
Protecting our future through economic recovery and fiscal stimulus
Responding to the economic and financial impact of Covid-19 will be a significant focus of our work and resources during 2021 and we will invest in a range of projects to support the economic recovery.
During the next three years we will fund new economic growth initiatives to drive the recovery. This will be informed by recommendations made by the Economic Council, and future measures will be agreed for implementation by the Council of Ministers.
Provision is made for the gradual phasing out of the co-funded payroll scheme by March and for continued sector-specific support across the winter. In order to make sure that we are targeting investment in the economic growth initiatives which will have the most impact, each initiative will be supported by a robust business case and require the formal support
of the Economic Recovery Political Oversight Group before agreement by the Minister for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture (for more information see Part Two - Economy and Skills).
In addition, we will continue to provide a timely, targeted and temporary financial stimulus to our economy throughout next year.
Fiscal stimulus initiatives in 2020 included:
Direct payments - making direct transfers to Income Support and
Pension Plus recipients
Spend Local cards - issuing time-limited prepaid debit cards to be spent
with local businesses
Social Security changes - reducing Social Security contributions by 2%
for nine months.
Subject to approval by the States Assembly in Autumn 2020, we will establish a Fiscal Stimulus Fund to support the economy through the remainder of the year and into 2021.
These economic support initiatives should quickly take effect and aim to: Maximise consumer spending in Jersey
Have a defined end date to avoid promoting structural budget deficits
and creating permanent distortions or subsidies in the economy
Reduce falls in output and employment in the short-term
Reduce the structural impact on the economy in the medium to
long-term.
Examples of future economic support might include, for example, investment to support construction, funding for skills and training, and further investment in technology.
Protecting our future by continuing to respond to Covid-19
Our on-going response to Covid-19 will remain our priority as we go into 2021, making sure we continue to protect Islanders lives and livelihoods, provide support where it is most needed, and suppress the virus until
a vaccine can be provided. This will continue to place all areas of Government under unavoidable financial pressure and we will need to use public finances to:
Target funding at those essential public services needed to respond to
the pandemic
Support the immediate economic response to the crisis and wider
economic recovery
Compensate for shortfalls in usual income streams across the public
sector.
This plan makes the necessary provision for expected costs over the coming year and the financial impacts over the next three years, based upon being able to keep the virus to very low levels and limit restrictions to normal activities, without the need to use emergency States Assembly powers. These expected costs include:
Maintaining the Test, Trace and Contact programme to support
Islanders safety into 2021
Continuing to fund the Nightingale Ward so that we have sufficient
hospital capacity through to at least March 2021
Making sure that we can effectively and efficiently distribute Personal
Protective Equipment as and when needed
Funding the provision of a Covid-19 vaccine to tackle the pandemic,
when it becomes available.
To enable funding to be provided centrally and more efficiently, and to
build on the OneGovernment approach, a Covid-19 Head of Expenditure will be established. This will make it simpler for Islanders and the Assembly to understand the total cost of the Government s response, thereby supporting good financial management control.
In addition, provision will also be made within the General Reserve to enable additional funding, if needed. As a general principle, this additional funding should only be accessed if the underlying public health position deteriorates over the next year, in order to ensure a continued focus on good financial controls. We also anticipate that other jurisdictions will increasingly seek to move some aspects of Covid-19 costs onto a more sustainable basis, such as charging some travellers for testing services. Jersey is likely to follow suit as this becomes the norm.
Further information on this funding can be found at Part Two Our Priorities.
Protecting our future through priority investment
Whilst Covid-19 has created demand for some immediate and short-
term funding to meet unforeseen costs, this Government believes we
must continue to invest in our future by delivering on the priorities set
out in the Common Strategic Policy 2018-22. These include those new initiatives funded in this plan, continuing the initiatives identified in the last Government Plan, and through modernising the essential public services that we provide to Islanders.
In particular, in 2021 we will focus on a number of key initiatives that are of importance to the long-term sustainable wellbeing of Islanders. We will therefore:
Embark on an ambitious three-year reform programme of our education
system to drive long-term, sustainable improvement in educational outcomes for all children and young people (see Part Two Putting Children First)
Implement the new Jersey Care Model, which will support the move to
a more preventative-focussed and community-based health service, enabling it to cope better with forecast increased demand from demographic change. This will be supported by funding from the Health Insurance Fund (see Part Two Wellbeing and Mental and Physical Health).
Remain focussed on delivering a new hospital for Jersey, ensuring
Islanders have access to a world-class healthcare facility which meets modern standards and the needs of Islanders both now and into the future. A full planning application for the new hospital will be submitted in September 2021, subject to the preferred site being agreed by the States Assembly in November 2020 (see Part Two Wellbeing and Mental and Physical Health).
Subject to States Assembly approval of the Council of Ministers
migration control policy, we will, in 2021, design new Control of Housing and Work Law permissions and structures, bring the required law changes to the States Assembly for approval and begin implementation of the agreed changes. In 2022, we will continue this work to fully implement the new migration controls policy (see Part Two - Economy and Skills).
Continue our important work on tenants rights, including implementing
a new Housing Advisory Service and developing rent stabilisation measures and homeless services. In addition, we will build on the work of the Housing Policy Development Board, including improving the strategic alignment of Government-owned housing delivery bodies (see Part Two - Income Inequality and Standard of Living).
Intensify our journey towards carbon neutrality and sustainable
transport, recognising that the climate emergency has not diminished and build on the changes that Islanders have made and benefited from during the pandemic (see Part Two - Environment).
Continue our drive to modernise the public service by further embracing
our move towards digital working and service delivery something which has been crucial during the pandemic. Strengthening our commercial services, which are essential to delivering better value
for the public purse as we seek to rebalance the public finances. Rationalising our office and property estate to release more land for affordable housing (see Part Three - Modernising Government).
Review the funding mechanisms that support Health and Social Security
spending to ensure that sustainable funding streams are in place to aid recovery from the economic impact of the pandemic and to support
the extra costs that we will face as the proportion of older people in
the population rises steadily over the next decade (see Part Four Government Finances).
Protecting our future by enhancing our island identity and international personality
The Chief Minister established the Island Identity Policy Development Board in October 2019. Its aim has been to examine how Jersey s distinctive qualities can be recognised as fresh, protected, celebrated, nurtured and utilised for the benefit of the Island and Islanders.
The Board produced an interim report to provide an update for Ministers in July 2020, and it was agreed, in principle, that Jersey s National and International Identity, once finalised and approved by the Council of Ministers, should be included as a significant theme in the Government Plan, and that the recommendations of the Island Identity Policy Development Board should, as far as possible, be integrated into the Government Plan.
The report contains more than 60 recommendations, but also offers
a series of early recommendations for how, in a practical way, the Government can begin the work of nurturing and building a Jersey Identity.
These include ways to improve Islanders understanding and appreciation of Jersey s distinctive history, heritage and culture, and helps clarify the language best deployed to reflect Jersey s unique constitutional status as
a small island nation with national institutions, whilst remaining proudly British.
The report also examines ways to deepen its historic and more recent ties to continental Europe, and to continue to develop its unique international personality.
It also provides a discussion piece for Ministers about what it means to be Jersey both in terms of how we see ourselves and how others see us, which will help to spark an important debate about the centrality of Jersey s national identity to the work of the Government.
Overall, it makes the case for Island Identity as a crucial factor in the development of future policy; signposting the longer-term work that will need to be undertaken to achieve the objectives set by the Chief Minister; and outlines the process to be undertaken within the Island Identity Programme between now and the publication of the action plan in 2021.
The next step is to refine the practical suggestions made by the Board so that, over the coming Government Plan period, departments can then incorporate the work of the Island Identity Policy Development Board into appropriate aspects of future Government policy direction.
Listening to Islanders
Islanders voices, and especially those of children and young people, are essential to building our shared future. We listen to those voices through a range of engagement, surveys and consultation exercises2 which, together with official statistics, audit and Scrutiny Panel recommendations and decisions by the States Assembly, have helped to inform and shape this Government Plan.
For example, earlier in the year, the Office of the Children s Commissioner for Jersey and the Department for Children, Young People, Education
and Skills, undertook a joint survey of children and young people to help understand the impact of Covid-19 on key elements of their lives. The results informed the initial children s rights impact assessment that was undertaken to inform the re-opening of schools.
Given the dramatic impact of the pandemic, two specific surveys have
been undertaken. Almost 4,000 Islanders participated in both the Jersey Opinion and Lifestyle Survey3 and the Government Plan 2021-2024 Survey, with more than 3,000 comments received through the Government
Plan Survey4. Islanders provided views on their own lives, their social, economic and environmental issues, and what they think the focus of our Government priorities should be.
Key points from the two surveys include:
Relative importance of priorities Improving Islanders wellbeing and
mental and physical health (68%) and Creating a sustainable, vibrant economy and skilled workforce for the future (60%) received the highest ratings on being more important now than before the pandemic.
Children and Education a majority of participants were more
concerned about investment in schools, sports facilities and youth centres (53%), educational outcomes in secondary schools (50%) and the protection of and support for vulnerable children and children in care (51%). In general, 50% of adults are worried about the education and wellbeing of children in Jersey as a result of the pandemic.
3 gov.je/OpinionsAndLifestyleSurvey 28 4 gov.je/GovernmentPlanSurvey
Wellbeing and Mental and Physical Health - participants were mostly
concerned with having access to good mental health and support services (67%), and access to hospital services (63%). 70% said that investing in a new hospital should be the Government s priority. One- in-four households delayed seeking medical treatment or advice due to the Coronavirus outbreak and 62% said that they were somewhat
or very worried that they or their family will be infected by Coronavirus. The results also show that Islanders were smoking and drinking alcohol more often since the outbreak of the pandemic, however, they were
also physically more active.
Economy and Skills - participants were most worried about reduced job
security (68%), being financially independent in old age (69%), being supported if they became unemployed (61%), and the impact of the new UK-EU relationship after Brexit. Supporting the economy through fiscal stimulus projects was seen as more important by 59%.
Income inequality and standard of living A key recurring theme from
the many comments received as part of the Government Plan survey were the importance of affordable housing and the development of a new migration policy.
Environment - making Jersey carbon neutral was seen by almost 80%
of participants as either more important or as important as before
the pandemic. An increasing or unchanged support for exploring environmental charges to improve carbon neutrality was expressed by 78% of participants. 49% were more concerned about improving public transport and prioritising active travel. 54% saw the update of the Island Plan to explain how we protect Jersey as more important.
This plan seeks to address these key points by both responding to the economic and financial impact of the pandemic, whilst also investing in our long-term future and delivering on the priorities set out in the Common Strategic Policy.
Sustainable wellbeing
Protecting our future in this Government Plan has meant focusing on the key sustainable wellbeing challenges faced by the Island.
In responding to Covid-19, protecting Islanders health and wider wellbeing, now and for the future, has become a major focus for the Government. Resources were quickly re-allocated to respond to the threat of the pandemic and minimise the effects of the lockdown on Islanders wellbeing. One of the most important roles for the Government has been to respond quickly to the rapidly changing health, economic and financial situation and to protect Islanders lives and livelihoods through the pandemic.
Embedding sustainable wellbeing
In embracing sustainable wellbeing, we are transforming how we plan and focus public services. We have made real progress, and within the next two years sustainable wellbeing will be at the core of all policy making and important investment decisions. Whilst other governments around the world are also on this journey, we are well advanced to being a leading jurisdiction. This can be seen through the:
Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2019[5] - which introduced the requirement
for the Council of Ministers to consider the sustainable economic, social, environmental and cultural wellbeing of Islanders over successive generations in preparing the Government Plan
Common Strategic Policy 2018-2022 - which set out our five overarching
wellbeing priorities for the Island for this term of office and which
we are delivering through each Government Plan and Departmental Operational Business Plans.
Development and implementation of Jersey s Strategic Framework[6]
which helps us to align long-term sustainable wellbeing Island Outcomes with our priorities, organisational objectives and with accurate measures of success through Jersey s Performance Framework. It is our ambition by the next election to have fully- implemented Jersey s Strategic Framework and to use it to continuously inform and improve everything we do.
Development and implementation of Jersey s Performance Framework7
- which includes a variety of metrics against the Island Outcomes
to show how each one has developed. This framework consists of objective metrics (those that include data and figures) and subjective metrics (those that include what people think and feel). We will use the data provided by this framework to inform our decisions by helping
us to understand where we are and where we need to improve. This framework is for all of Jersey, not just Government, by helping us to engage with charities, businesses and communities who also have an important role to play in supporting the achievement of sustainable wellbeing for Islanders. We will continue to implement, develop and improve it through 2021 and beyond.
Development and integration of sustainable wellbeing approaches into
the business planning process when allocating additional funding for 2021 (see Part Two Our Priorities) and identifying efficiencies and other rebalancing measures (see Part Three Modernising Government), we have introduced a simple sustainable wellbeing impact assessment. It challenges us to consider the impact of initiatives, positively or negatively, on the sustainable wellbeing of Islanders over successive generations. In 2021 we will review and refine the sustainable wellbeing impact assessment, and develop other approaches that will support us in taking sustainable wellbeing into account when making decisions about resource allocation, and embedding wellbeing fully into the processes of government.
30 7 gov.je/PerformanceFramework
Sets out the long-term community vision expressed by Islanders.
JERSEY'S PERFORMANCE FRAMEWORK
Shows how Jersey is doing on the journey to achieving sustainable wellbeing
Sets out the plan for the Island's positive growth over the next ten years and the framework against which planning decisions are made
Sets out the high-level priorities of the Government of Jersey during this term of office
GOVERNMENT PLAN
Sets out the activities to be delivered
and associated income and expenditure
to deliver the Government of Jersey's DEPARTMENTAL OPERATIONAL priorities over the next four years
BUSINESS PLANS
Translates the activities set out in the
Government Plan into actionable
departmental tasks and measurable MY CONVERSATION activities, together with accompanying MY GOALS
detail of a wider set of services and
deliverables
A government-wide process, requiring regular discussions between employees and their line manager about individuals' performance against agreed goals
PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT AND BUSINESS PLANNING STANDARDS AND PRINCIPLES
PUBLIC FINANCE (JERSEY) LAW 2019
Sustainable Wellbeing Sustainable Finances
Figure 1 - Jersey s Strategic Framework
L
A
T Built Children EN environment
M
N Health and O wellbeing
R
I
V Natural
N environment
E
Safety and Jersey's security
Performance
Sustainable Framework Vibrant and resources inclusive community
Affordable Jobs and
living growth
Business environment
NOMIC
Figure 2 - Jersey s Performance Framework
Part two Our priorities
Part 2 -Government Priorities
- ITnhitsr Poardtouf cthtei oGonvernment Plan should also be read in the context of: The Government Plan 2020-238
The Island Outcomes set out in the Jersey Performance Framework9
that describe the population-level wellbeing conditions that Islanders would like to see in the future
What this Council of Ministers has achieved since taking office in June
2018 which is set out in: the Annual Report and Accounts 2018 (June 2018 onwards)10; the Annual Report 201911; and the Government Plan Six Month Update Report12 published on 28th August 2020.
Common Strategic Policy Priorities
For each Common Strategic Policy (CSP) priority, we have set out the following:
A brief overview of the opportunities and challenges we face in 2021
(see Introduction); the total revenue and capital investment in supporting the CSP Priority (see Funding this priority); and the Island Outcomes and Indicators that we will use in the Jersey Performance Framework to measure our sustainable wellbeing impact (see How we will measure our sustainable wellbeing impact).
A summary of new initiatives we will invest in for the first time in 2021
that contribute to the CSP Priority (see Our Investment in 2021). Further information on these initiatives can be found in Appendix 3.
We have also separately provided information on initiatives that were:
Approved in the Government Plan 2020-23 and that we will continue to
invest in 2021 or that will, from 2021, become part of the core business of our Departments; or
Included in the Government Plan 2020-23 as being forecast to take
place in 2021 that we will halt, defer or reduce in order to prioritise the investments set out above considering the new financial context.
Further information on these initiatives can be found in Appendix 4.
In addition, it should be noted that Departments also provide public services which support the CSP priorities. Information on these services will be set out in the Departmental Operational Business Plans for 2021-24 for each Department, which will be published in January 2021.
8 gov.je/GovernmentPlan
9 gov.je/PerformanceFramework 10 gov.je/AnnualReport
11 gov.je/AnnualReport
36 12 gov.je/SixthMonthReview
Part 2 - Government Priorities
PHOTO
We will put children first
by protecting and supporting children, by improving their educational outcomes and by involving and engaging children in decisions that affect their everyday lives.
Headlines
We will continue to implement the Children s Change Programme,
so that vulnerable children are protected and supported, and the service makes demonstrable progress towards achieving consistently outstanding children s social work practice
We will continue to focus on practice improvement within the Children s
Service by funding relevant care worker training and by progressing the regulation of social work and mental health services available to children and young people in Jersey
We will continue to progress policy, legislation and service delivery
in relation to family law and sexual assault services to better protect children and young people
We will continue to provide redress to people who, as children, suffered
abuse or harm whilst residents of care in Jersey
We will review the future delivery of student finance which was deferred
due to the pandemic
We will continue to promote ways to involve and engage the voice of
young people in Jersey
We will support our children in catching-up on their education so that
they do not suffer long-term detriment
We will continue to provide additional funding for the Youth Service
Move On CafØ which supports more than 390 young people
We will maintain our investment in Jrriais
We will re-prioritise existing resources to invest in the redesign of
Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in order to improve support for children and young people experiencing mental ill-health
We will embark on an ambitious long-term programme of reform for our
education system in order to support the improvement of long-term educational outcomes for all children and young people
We will renew and increase funding for the research project, approved
in last year s Government Plan, to engage and discover the needs of young people within communities with English as an additional language concentrating initially on those within the Portuguese, Romanian and Polish communities
Introduction
We will continue to involve and engage our children and young people in the decisions that affect their everyday lives so that we are able to understand how they are doing, what is important to them and what support they need.
Children need to be protected and their general wellbeing supported now more than ever. Like adults, they have not been able to live their lives to
the full due to the pandemic. The restrictions on children s movements and activities and physical and social contact with friends, family and carers will have had an impact on their mental and physical health and, sadly, in some situations, on their personal safety and security.
All children and young people have felt the impact on their education, this despite the tremendous efforts by all parts of our education system and from parents and carers through schooling at home. It is now well documented that the impact of home-schooling and lack of physical attendance at school or college has caused a range of issues for a whole generation.
These include mental health and wellbeing issues, as well as an impact on educational progress and attainment. The pandemic has tested pupils, parents, carers, schools and the Department of Children, Young People, Education and Skills (CYPES) to find new ways of learning. Moreover,
the challenges have been compounded for those groups of pupils who are disadvantaged, vulnerable, have English as an additional language, or special educational needs or disabilities. We will also maintain our investment in Jrriais.
This year was one of huge disruption for our children and young people. While the medium to long-term impact of the pandemic on them will take time to fully understand and respond to, the immediate impacts are clear and have emphasised the importance of this Priority.
Our investment in 2021
In addition to the investment that will continue from 2020, we will also invest for the first time in 2021 in the following initiatives:
Covid-19 GP21-CSP1-C-01 Covid-19 Schools Catch-up Programme respond, We will support our children in catching-up on their education so that recover and they do not suffer long-term detriment.
renew We will do this by putting in place a 16-month programme, with funding
running across the financial years 2020 and 2021 to reflect the school calendar, to address the learning loss experienced by many children at primary and secondary schools.
The programme has three strands based on lessons learned, both in Jersey and in other jurisdictions:
To establish a tutoring programme, which will run from 2020 to
2021 (across the school academic year September to July). This will provide small-group tuition to the children most in-need, with intensive learning support, and giving schools access to subsidised tutoring sessions and free coaches for various groups of children (Jersey Premium, EAL, SEN/D and most vulnerable)
To invest additional funding in the OLEVI teaching programme
(teaching project across all Jersey schools) to accelerate building capacity to deliver the catch-up programme effectively and improve sustained attainment into the future and to make sure that all staff are best equipped for the recovery challenge.
CYPES
Protecting and GP21-CSP1-1-07 Youth Service Move On CafØ supporting We will continue to provide additional funding for the Youth Service children Move On CafØ, which supports more than 390 young people.
This will make sure that the project is funded on a more secure basis and to enable it to manage the volume and level of need that many of the regular members require.
CYPES CT8
Protecting and GP21-CSP1-1-08 SARC Dewberry House supporting We will provide additional funding to continue and further develop the children Dewberry House Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC).
Dewberry House is now an integral service to the Island providing support to victims of sexual abuse, whether this happened recently
or in the past. The current availability of this service still needs further development, especially when it comes to children and young people who are victims of sexual abuse.
This funding will support the provision of services which will follow the Child s House Model . This model provides integrated medical, investigative and emotional support from one location through early support after the trauma of abuse. It aims to:
Increase the length of time support is provided to children and
families
Gather more affective evidence from interviews
Offer quicker progress in investigations and court cases.
Provide a safe space for children and young people to talk about
what happened to them and receive support and therapy to rebuild their lives.
This funding will also support the existing running costs for the SARC Manager and Crisis Workers and is also key to the development of psychological, therapeutic and intermediary services.
JHA CT2
GP21-CSP1-1-06 CAMHS Service Redesign
In anticipation of recurrent growth funding from 2022, we will re-prioritise existing health and CYPES resources to release upfront investment to initiate the implementation of a redesigned Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) in order to improve support for children and young people experiencing mental ill-health.
This includes investment in:
Early intervention services for children of all ages
Community intensive support services, seven days per week
Improving and refocusing the current service as a specialist service Improving quality and performance management.
CYPES HCS CT8
Improving GP21-CSP1-2-05 Education Reform Programme educational We will embark on an ambitious long-term programme of reform for our outcomes education system in order to deliver the sustainable improvement of
long-term educational outcomes for all children and young people.
The Education Reform Programme aims to deliver the following:
Achieving a sustainable funding settlement and strengthening the
management of schools
Increasing investment in current services, which will improve
outcomes for pupils
Delivering new initiatives to address current gaps in provision
Exploring a range of transformational policy options, which will
deliver a high quality, more efficient and effective education system and provide better outcomes for pupils.
CYPES
Involving and GP21-CSP1-3-03 Youth Service - English as Additional Language engaging We will, as approved in the previous Government Plan 2020-2023, children renew and increase funding for the research project, to engage and
discover the needs of young people within communities with English
as an additional language, concentrating initially on those within the Portuguese, Romanian and Polish speaking communities.
The objective is to provide support to enable those young people to integrate with local networks and services so that they can achieve educational and personal goals and reach their full potential.
This pilot scheme introduces dedicated Youth Workers to address the need for youth development work with Portuguese, Romanian and Polish speaking young people so that their voices can be heard, and their needs identified.
Should further work with these communities be required, a similar resource provision is made for the three-year period following, should the research project find it is necessary.
CYPES CT8
Please see Appendix 3 for more information on these initiaitives.
Please see Appendix 4 for information on investment that will continue from 2020 that was approved in last year s Government Plan.
Funding this priority
We will resource these activities through base departmental budgets and/or existing funds. This additional expenditure will total £50.2 million over the four-year period of the Government Plan, with additional expenditure in 2021 estimated to be £9.2 million, broken down as follows:
Protecting and supporting children: additional expenditure in 2021 of
£0.2 million for the Move On CafØ and Dewbury House
Improving educational outcomes: additional expenditure in 2021 of
£7.9 million for the education reform programme
Government Covid-19 Response: additional expenditure in 2021 of
£0.9 million for the schools catch up programme
Involving and engaging children: additional expenditure in 2021 of
£0.15 million for Youth Service language support.
For further detail on the above additional expenditure, please see table 46.
We will also invest £20.9 million in initiatives included in last year s Government Plan.
We will be investing in infrastructure associated with this priority, with capital expenditure of £10.6 million in 2021 and totalling £67.4 million over the four-year period (for further detail, please see table 17).
How we measure our sustainable wellbeing impact
We measure our sustainable wellbeing impact and Jersey s overall progress towards sustainable wellbeing by monitoring a wide range of outcomes and metrics in Jersey s Performance Framework. The full set of metrics and data is available on gov.je[5] .
Examples of the Island Outcomes this Priority aims to progress further: Children develop as expected in their early years (aged 0 to 5 years) Children enter school ready to learn
Pupils are proficient in core academic subjects at Key Stage 1 (KS1) Pupils are proficient in core academic subjects at Key Stage 2 (KS2) Pupils complete compulsory education successfully
Pupils complete their A-levels and further education successfully
Children in Jersey are safe
All children in Jersey enjoy the same rights.
Examples of the Island Indicators this Priority aims to progress further:
% of children reaching developmental milestones at age two
% of Reception age children achieving/exceeding expected level of development
% of pupils assessed as secure in reading, writing and mathematics at end of KS1
% of pupils assessed as secure in reading, writing and mathematics at end of KS2
% of pupils achieving five or more standard GCSEs
% of pupils who progress to take a Level 3 qualification
% of children aged 7 to 11 who are aware of their rights under the UNCRC
% of children reporting being bullied at or near school in past 12 months
% of Year 10 and 12 children who have been involved in bullying others using mobile phones, tablets, online games, social media etc.
Number of children under 18 who are victims of crime.
We will improve Islanders wellbeing and mental and physical health
by supporting Islanders to live healthier, active, longer lives, improving the quality of and access to mental health services, and by putting patients, families and carers at the heart of Jersey s health and care system.
Headlines
We will continue to deliver a range of preventative and proactive
schemes focused on inspiring an Active Jersey , with a boost to alternative delivery methods in response to lockdown measures
We will continue to support the reduction of preventable disease, to
reverse the current upward trend in overweight and obesity rates, to increase healthy eating, to reduce the rates of smoking and harmful alcohol consumption, and to deliver a range of preventative and proactive schemes
We will significantly improve access to mental health services, bringing
parity of esteem to the mental health agenda, invest in our mental health environment and building infrastructure, implement initiatives for crisis support, a listening lounge , complex trauma, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services and mental health legislation
We will continue to implement a digital care programme, focused on
replacing outdated systems with a new e-prescribing system, for a digital information flow between pharmacies and GPs, a WiFi upgrade for the hospital, process digitisation of pathology and radiology tests, and an improved flow of information between health care organisations
We will continue to expand our 24-hour community nursing and primary
care services, develop a preventative model of dental services for children and new models of care to support people with diabetes, and develop a model that improves access to primary care for financially- vulnerable people
We will fund the operational costs and premises related costs for
the Nightingale Ward including decommissioning costs, assuming decommissioning from March 2021
We will fund the anticipated cost of purchasing and delivering Covid-19
vaccines during the pandemic and as and when available
We will fund the anticipated costs of the Test and Trace Programme to
June 2021
We will fund the costs of warehousing and distribution of PPE (Personal
Protective Equipment) stock
We will provide funding to compensate for shortfall in income in the
sports estate due to Covid-19 while Covid-19 restrictions remain in place
We will begin to implement the Jersey Care Model that will enable a
shift to a more preventative health service, enabling it to better cope with forecast demand from demographic change
We will implement a model to support improved access to primary care
for financially vulnerable Islanders from January 2021.
We will provide additional funding to ensure the ongoing provision of an
air ambulance service due to the collapse of the current provider
We will provide funding to enable the purchase of pandemic specific
vaccine stock in the event of a worldwide pandemic
We will extend the key worker accommodation scheme to enable more
units to be offered to key workers that are fit for purpose
We will increase the investment in end of life health care to provide a
range of services which are patient centred and delivered in accordance with their preferences
We will provide on-island education programmes for those undertaking
nursing qualifications to give local students the opportunity to train into these roles whilst staying on island
Introduction
Jersey has been highly successful in controlling the immediate impact of a global public health emergency. While there remains much uncertainty, we will continue to respond to the pandemic as it develops and continue to prepare for realistic future scenarios.
Covid-19 has impacted on the physical and mental health of Islanders, in particular the need for timely, improved and expanded mental health services is now more important than ever.
We will continue to advance towards a health and care system that is responsive, outcome-focused and meets Jersey s needs in a way that is fit for our future. Covid-19 has also demonstrated the importance of a resilient and properly resourced public health policy function to lead on approaches to the most important public health challenges we face, including continuing to respond to the pandemic as it develops.
Our investment in 2021
In addition to the investment that will continue from 2020, we will also invest for the first time in 2021 in the following initiatives:
Covid-19 GP21-CSP2-C-02 Nightingale Ward Premises respond, GP21-CSP2-C-03 Nightingale Ward Operations recover and We will fund the operational costs and premises related costs for the
renew Ncoigshtst,i nags as luemWinagr dth oisf tt ha eke Gs e pnlaecrae l fHroomsp Mitaalr,c inh c 2lu0 d2 i1n. g decommissioning
This facility will mitigate the risk of an overwhelmed health service throughout the pandemic by making sure there is sufficient Acute bed capacity available to Health and Community Services (HCS) during the approaching winter pressures.
HCS IHE
GP21-CSP2-C-01 COVID-19 Vaccine
We will fund the anticipated cost of the Covid-19 vaccination programme, as and when a vaccine becomes available.
Although there remain several unknowns, the availability of a safe and effective vaccine for Covid-19 will be a hugely important element and very probably the key to controlling the pandemic. It is therefore essential, as a key public health strategy, that when a vaccine does arrive, we are ready to deliver it, rapidly, to all eligible Islanders.
HCS
GP21-CSP2-C-04 Test and Tracing Programme 2
We will continue to fund the anticipated costs of the Test and Trace Programme to June 2021.
As part of the agreed strategy to protect Islanders during the pandemic, a fully resourced and comprehensive programme of testing and contact tracing will be maintained. This will support the safer travel policy to enable our borders to operate and also the testing to protect strategy, that makes sure our essential workers, those in health care settings and Islanders that need testing, can be tested quickly and without delay.
The programme also includes the introduction of an Exposure Notification App, to enable the quick identification of a positive Covid-19 case and to notify, through digital automation, those who were in close proximity that they may have been exposed to a positive case.
JHA
GP21-CSP2-C-05 PPE Warehousing Solution
We will fund the costs of storing and distributing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
Timely and complete provision of PPE is essential to the Government s management of Covid-19 cases in the Island. We must make sure that we can procure, store and distribute a three-month pandemic stock (which is based on a worst-case scenario) of PPE that is over and above our current supplies.
HCS
GP21-CSP2-C-06 Support for Sport Infrastructure
We will provide funding to compensate for shortfall in income in the sports estate due to Covid-19, while restrictions remain in place.
IHE CT1
Put patients, GP21-CSP2-1-05 Jersey Care Model families and We will begin to implement the Jersey Care Model (JCM), which will carers at enable a shift to a more prevention focused health service, enabling it to
better cope with forecast demand from demographic changes.
the heart of The JCM aims to transform health and social care in order to improve Jersey s health Islanders wellbeing and mental and physical health. To achieve this, it
and care pacrocpeosssiebsle a adnodp tfiinnga nacpiaellrys osun s-ctae innt ar be lde ,a bp ep ir no ga cphro wvih de er de b iny tc ha er e p li as c s ea sfe , system where people need it the most.
The JCM has three overarching objectives:
Make sure care is person-centred with a focus on prevention and
self-care, for both physical and mental health
Reduce dependency on secondary care services by expanding
primary and community services, working closely with all partners in order to deliver more care in the community and at home
Redesign of health and community services so that they are better
structured to meet the current and future needs of Islanders.
After investments, the JCM is forecast to avoid £23 million per year by 2036 of the expected expenditure growth for Jersey s health and care system. In order to deliver the JCM and realise the expected benefits, investment of £28.1 million over this government plan (2021-24) is required, before the model will deliver a net financial benefit from 2025. Through implementing the changes proposed in the JCM, the financial sustainability of Jersey s health and care system will be significantly improved.
HCS CT6
GP21-CSP2-3-06 Air Ambulance Services
We will provide additional funding to guarantee the ongoing provision of an air ambulance service following the collapse of the current provider.
The air ambulance service is a critical requirement of the Island, primarily utilised in emergency trauma and the need to immediately evacuate patients for emergency treatment that cannot be provided in Jersey.
HCS
GP20-CSP2-3-03 Maintaining Health Care Standards
We will use investment allocated in the previous Government Plan to maintain health care standards, such as:
Diabetes Pathway Improvements develop and implement a new
diabetes strategy for the Island in order move to a more preventative approach, to reduce the prevalence of the disease and improve outcomes
End of life care to develop a community partnership to meet
the growing need for end of life care. This includes provide more palliative care options and bereavement support
Mental health nursing training to improve sustainable access to
mental health nurses by providing training to Islanders interested in accessing the profession
Key worker accommodation to make sure the provision of key
worker accommodation to make sure that HCS can continue to recruit essential skilled workers required for the ongoing delivery of services.
HCS
GP21-CSP2-CAPITAL Our Hospital Project
We will fund the Our Hospital project to continue the programme for delivering a new hospital for Jersey. For 2021, these include:
The design stage, including the social value outputs
A detailed planning submission for the new hospital, and associated
highway alterations
The Outline Business Case
Continued public engagement
The vacation and purchase of the selected site
HCS
GP21-CSP2-CAPITAL In-Patients/Support Services Refurbishments
We will fund the refurbishment of in-patients/support services for the existing hospital.
This will enable a phased approach to the required refurbishment ahead of the Our Hospital programme.
HCS
Please see Appendix 3 for more information on these initiatives.
Please see Appendix 4 for information on investment that will continue from 2020 that was approved in last year s Government Plan.
Funding this priority
We will resource these activities through base departmental budgets and/or existing funds, and additional investment. This additional expenditure will total £74.7 million over the four-year period of the Government Plan, with additional expenditure in 2021 estimated to be £53.3 million. This includes:
Support Islanders to live healthier, active, longer lives: additional
expenditure in 2021 of £6.6 million for the Jersey Care Model
Put patients, families and carers at the heart of Jersey s health and
care system: additional expenditure in 2021 of £0.4 million for the air ambulance service
Government Covid-19 Response: additional expenditure in 2021 of £46.3
million for the test and trace programme, Nightingale Ward , purchasing a vaccine, PPE Warehousing and support for sports centres.
For further detail on the above additional expenditure, please see table 46.
We will also invest £22 million in initiatives included in last year s Government Plan.
We will be investing in infrastructure associated with this priority, with capital expenditure of £37.1 million in 2021 and totalling £71.6 million over the four-year period (for further detail, please see table 17).
How we measure our sustainable wellbeing impact
We measure our sustainable wellbeing impact and Jersey s overall progress towards sustainable wellbeing by monitoring a wide range of outcomes and metrics in Jersey s Performance Framework. The full set of metrics and data is available on gov.je .
Examples of the Island Outcomes this Priority aims to progress further: Jersey has a healthy population
Islanders look after their health by being physically active
Islanders look after their health by drinking alcohol responsibly
Islanders look after their health by not smoking tobacco
Islanders look after their health through healthy diets
Islanders can access health care
Effective public health interventions help prevent avoidable deaths
Deaths due to treatable causes are avoided where possible
Islanders with long-term health conditions enjoy a good quality of life Islanders enjoy positive mental health and wellbeing
Islanders enjoy life in a strong, inclusive community
Quality of life in Jersey benefits from a thriving sports sector.
Examples of the Island indicators this priority aims to progress further:
Number of years a new-born baby in Jersey can expect to live, on
average, in good or very good health
Premature deaths per 100,000 population (where individual was aged
<75)
Jersey s population mental wellbeing score
Average consumption in litres of pure alcohol per adult
% of adults who smoke daily or occasionally
% of adults who are overweight or obese
% of adults who meet recommended levels of physical activity
% of adults who say they feel lonely often or some of the time
% of adults who regularly minimise face-to-face contact with people outside of their household
% of adults who think they spend the right amount of time on social activities outside of their job.
We will create a sustainable, vibrant economy and skilled local workforce for the future
by delivering an economic framework to improve productivity, by nurturing and strengthening
our financial services industry, by enhancing
our international profile and promoting our Island identity, by delivering the best outcomes from Brexit, and by improving skills in the local workforce to reduce Jersey s reliance on inward migration.
Headlines
We will continue to develop and deliver the Future Economy
Programme, which will aim to ensure our Island s long-term economic sustainability and resilience
We will work to ensure that Jersey s interests are promoted and taken
into account in respect of the UK s future trade negotiations
We will continue to deliver our Global Markets strategy to promote
Jersey on the world stage as a dynamic place to do business and trade with
We will maintain and build on the Island s government to government
relationships in respect of the UK and EU, to enhance understanding of our constitutional position, economy, reputation and international profile
We will continue to support the development and delivery of Jersey s
tax policy and delivery of international tax commitments
We will continue to invest in Digital Jersey to ensure progress towards
a digital, knowledge based economy and increased access to digital capability
We will continue to review Jersey s Economic Framework and
Productivity Support to create sustainable economic growth for Jersey and be managed in accordance with Jersey s new investment framework
We will continue to protect our financial services industry by investing
in Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism processes
We will continue to forge new and stronger commercial relationships to
support our financial services industry
We will fund support for a range of projects to support the economic
recovery
We will increase funding for the newly formed Jersey Competition
Regulatory Authority to allow it to better focus on the consumer matters that impact people in Jersey, and on promoting competition that will support Islanders living standards and improve the competitiveness of local businesses
We will provide funding for the implementation of a migration control
policy, building on the recommendations of the Migration Policy Development Board as and when approved by the States Assembly
We will continue to increase Jersey s Overseas Aid contributions,
investing in our long-term future as a responsible, outward-looking global citizen
We will continue to develop and promote a strong and inclusive sense
of national identity, to increase social cohesion and support Jersey in projecting a positive and coherent international profile
Introduction
We will need to remain agile in order to build back this capacity for further economic shock across the households and businesses, particularly in
the foundation economy, where many businesses rely on footfall from Islanders and visitors. The outlook for inbound travel remains volatile
and we will continue to evaluate the availability and effectiveness
of Government support measures to those businesses that will be disproportionately affected.
The financial services sector was able to perform strongly, with some businesses in the sector paying tax liabilities ahead of their due date to assist with cashflow. Sector employment has remained strong, although the increase in remote working provides a warning against complacency of many roles remaining in Jersey in the long-term. We will continue to invest in the sector to support new business acquisition, new market opportunities, digitisation and continued preparedness to meet the high benchmark expected by clients and international standard setters.
In 2021 we will continue to invest resources in hospitality, retail, agriculture and fisheries through measures such as grants, route development support, re-capitalistion of the Rural Incentive Scheme and productivity support. We also remain committed to growth funding for the Arts, Culture and Heritage portfolio. We will deliver the States Assembly decision (P.40/2019) with 1% of net revenue expenditure (excluding time limited costs relating to Covid-19) going to these sectors in 2022. We will increase investment in arts, culture and heritage, recognising their importance
to Islanders and investors alike. We will also continue our investment in Digital Jersey as a catalyst for the embrace of new technologies and a
voice for the promotion and of our Island s growing digital sector.
Taking account of the advice of the Economic Council and Political Oversight Group for the development of the future economy, the Critical Skills programmes will be reviewed and proposals brought forward to make sure there is alignment with our future labour market. We will help both young people entering training and employment, and adults who need to re-skill, by providing opportunities across a range of work-based learning programmes, traineeships, apprenticeships and a broadening
of Further and Higher Education offers. This will also feed into the development of the new Migration Policy.
Also within the context of the Future Economy programme, the Minister and Assistant Minister for Education will oversee the production of a re-training strategy that examines the range of existing training and employment support programmes offered through the private sector, Highlands College, Skills Jersey, Customer and Local Services and other stakeholders. This will ensure we have the most effective provision, management and funding of these services for the future, and identify future strategies and schemes that support social mobility through career changes or up-skilling.
While we remain confident about the role Jersey can play as a visitor destination, a well-regulated and internationally co-operative financial
centre, and as a supplier of high quality dairy, agricultural and aquaculture products, we must recognise that suppressed demand and lower transaction flows elsewhere may impact our return to growth.
With recommendations from the Economic Council due to be received and considered in late 2020, we will develop plans for longer-term economic renewal for consideration by the States Assembly and Islanders during early 2021. Agreed plans will be taken forward with the support of a new economic growth funding allocation. We will challenge what growth means and through our policy making, seek to secure more evenly-shared future prosperity for Islanders, a prosperity that pays dividends in social cohesion, improved health, financial inclusion and judicious, sustainable use of our resources.
The direction of policy and regulation at EU and global (OECD) level, particularly in relation to the development of new standards in international tax, is likely to present additional complexity for the Island as it seeks to renew the economy in light of the pandemic. The long-standing approach of proactive engagement with international standard setters has served
the Island well and we will continue this approach.
Jersey must continue to feed into the UK s trade negotiations as it establishes itself as an independent trading nation in its own right, moving at pace to understand the risks and opportunities from new
trade relationships, and in ensuring our interests are understood and represented by the UK. Where necessary, this will also involve Jersey continuing to expand its own network of international agreements, tailored to suit the Island s particular economic interests.
We must also continue to deliver a programme of trade facilitation, profile raising and international engagement critical to Jersey s reputation and global standing. And while managing international challenges remains critical, we will also help Jersey seize new opportunities for economic recovery by ensuring that the Island is well-connected and well-regarded internationally in growth areas, such as environmental, social and governance investment, philanthropy, the continued development of a strong digital sector, and the continued advances in the effectiveness and reputation of Jersey s international aid programme.
As well as adapting existing programmes in response to the global Covid-19 pandemic, Jersey Overseas Aid continues to invest its funds in humanitarian interventions where needs are greatest. As agreed last year, from 2021 we will tie the value of our overseas aid to the size of the economy, with a single basis point increase, year-on-year, from 2021 onwards. This means that Jersey will move closer to international norms while ensuring that expenditure on international relief and development remains affordable.
Our investment in 2021
In addition to the investment that will continue from 2020, we will also invest for the first time in 2021 in the following initiatives:
Covid-19 GP21-CSP3-C-01 Economic Recovery respond, We will fund support for a range of projects to support the economic recover and recovery.
renew Tghroiswathn ninuiatila atilvloecsa, tsiounchina 2s 0th2o1-s2e3 r ewcilol mbem ue sn edde td o b fuy n t dhe n Eewco en co omni oc mic
Council and agreed for implementation by the Council of Ministers.
Funding will also be drawn to complete the balance of economic
support measures and the balance of initiatives in 2021 directly related
to economic recovery, such as in the hospitality sector.
Business cases will be required for each initiative and will require formal support of the Economic Recovery Political Oversight Group before sign-off by the Minister for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture under Ministerial Decision.
OCE
Delivering GP21-CSP3-2-12 JCRA Reconstitution Funding an economic We will increase funding for the newly-formed Jersey Competition framework Regulatory Authority (JCRA) to allow it to better focus on the consumer
to improve mwiallt steurpsp tohartt Iismlapnadcet rps e loivp inle g inst aJenr ds ae ry d sa nadn do nim p proromveo t ti hn eg cc oo mm pp ee tt ii tt ii vo en n t eh sa st productivity and of local businesses.
nurturing and This will be achieved through the promotion of competition and
consumer interests through a comprehensive programme of activity strengthening that would typically be delivered by a general competition authority.
our financial
services industry OCE CT8
In 2022 we will invest in:
Improving skills GP21-CSP3-4-02 Migration Policy Implementation in the local We will provide funding for the implementation of new Migration Control workforce to Policies, building on the recommendations of the Migration Policy
Development Board, as and when approved by the States Assembly. reduce Jersey s Policy recommendations are due to be debated by the States Assembly
reliance before the end of 2020.
on inward The recommendations include:
migration Introducing new Control of Housing and Work Law permissions to businesses and individuals to allow Government to maintain closer
control of the number of workers settling permanently in Jersey
Increasing Government co-ordination at a strategic level to make sure
that all policies take account of their potential impact to increase the population of the Island
Providing accurate and regular performance management
information to Ministers responsible for setting policy guidelines
Ensuring that businesses have an accurate picture of the ongoing
impact of the controls across business sectors and provide reassurance and transparency to the public.
CLS CT8
Please see Appendix 3 for more information on these initiatives.
Please see Appendix 4 for information on investment that will continue from 2020 that was approved in last year s Government Plan.
Funding this priority
We will resource these activities through base departmental budgets and/or existing funds, and additional investment. This additional expenditure will total £40.4 million over the four-year period of the Government Plan, with additional expenditure in 2021 estimated to be £15.7 million. This includes:
Government Covid-19 Response: additional expenditure in 2021 of
£15.5 million for the economic recovery programme
Future economy programme: additional expenditure of £0.15 million for
the newly formed Jersey Competition and Regulatory Authority
For further detail on the above additional expenditure, please see table 46.
We will also invest £15.4 million in initiatives included in last year s Government Plan.
We will be investing in infrastructure associated with this priority, with capital expenditure of £4.1 million in 2021 and totalling £4.5 million over the four-year period (for further detail, please see table 17).
How we measure our sustainable wellbeing impact
We measure our sustainable wellbeing impact and Jersey s overall progress towards sustainable wellbeing by monitoring a wide range of outcomes and metrics in Jersey s Performance Framework. The full set of metrics and data is available on gov.je .
Examples of the Island Outcomes this Priority aims to progress further: Overall economic performance
Islanders enjoy life in a strong, inclusive community
Pupils complete compulsory education successfully.
Examples of the Island Indicators this Priority aims to progress further: Annual economic output divided by total population
Productivity Jersey s economic output divided by the number of
employees (by sector)
% of working age population who are economically active
Number of people registered as actively seeking work
% of permitted migrant staff working in Jersey s private sector who have licensed status
% of young people aged 16-18 who are not in education, employment or training
Jersey s overall wellbeing score using the Better Life Index.
We will reduce income inequality and improve the standard of living
by improving the quality and affordability of housing, improving social inclusion, and by removing barriers to and at work.
Headlines
We will begin to develop detailed plans to implement agreed
recommendations following the publication of the Housing Development Board s review of housing in Jersey
We will continue to improve support and protection for tenants
We will develop proposals to better support disabled adults living at
home, and their informal carers
We will fund the forecast overspend on Income Support in 2021-24 as a
result of Covid-19 in line with the economic forecast
We will fund the Co-Funded Payroll Scheme through to it being phased
out in March 2021
We will implement actions to modernise the Island s personal income
tax system, in particular to modernise the tax treatment of married women and people in same-sex relationships
We will continue to deliver the disability strategy alongside improving
community-based services and supporting diversity
We will develop a new approach to supporting workers with long-term
health conditions to return to or remain in employment
We will review the way in which the minimum wage is agreed
Introduction
We must continue, through the pandemic and beyond, to support Islanders whose employment and income have been impacted to make sure that disparities in income inequality and standards of living are not exacerbated by the Government s response to Covid-19. We will continue our work
to develop modern incapacity benefits that support work and to deliver the disability strategy and community-based services. We will also help unemployed Islanders find work with the support of targeted Back to Work programmes.
However, we must also stay focused on the longer-term challenges that Islanders face. We remain committed to our work on social inclusion and on removing barriers to, and at, work, including a review of the way in which the minimum wage is agreed.
We recognise the critical importance of improving the quality and affordability of housing for Islanders. We will continue our important work which we have already started on tenants rights, including implementing a new Housing Advisory Service and developing rent stabilisation measures. We will also develop new homeless services and improve the funding provided to the Shelter Trust. In addition, we will build on the work of the Housing Policy Development Board, including the strategic alignment of government owned housing delivery bodies.
Our investment in 2021
In addition to the investment that will continue from 2020, we will also invest for the first time in 2021 in the following initiatives:
Covid-19 GP21-CSP4-C-02 Covid-19 Income Support Costs respond, We will fund the forecast overspend on Income Support in 2021-24, as a recover and result of Covid-19, in line with the economic forecast.
renew Tsuhffise wreildl ea n r se ud ruec tt hioant Ii snla inncdoemrse w ahr oe hadave eq uloa stet tlyh es iur p epmo prt loe yd m a en nd t t oh ra t we continue to make payments of statutory benefits to eligible Islanders
quickly and accurately. This includes providing additional Back to Work Employment Advisors to support unemployed Islanders find work.
CLS
GP21-CSP4-C-01 Covid-19 Co-Funded Payroll Scheme Phase III
We will fund the Co-Funded Payroll Scheme through to it being phased out by March 2021.
This is to:
Make sure that businesses survive the immediate crisis, so they can
resume trading so supply capacity remains intact
Ensure that employment remains as close to pre-crisis levels as
possible through the period of the pandemic
Make sure that workers continue to benefit from a reasonable level
of income to avoid hardship during the crisis and preserve demand to support an economic recovery once physical distancing and other public health measures are lifted
Support a robust economic recovery.
CLS
Please see Appendix 3 for more information on these initiatives.
Please see Appendix 4 for information on investment that will continue from 2020 that was approved in the last year s Government Plan.
Funding this priority
We will resource these activities through base departmental budgets and/or existing funds, and additional investment. This additional expenditure will total £32.3 million over the four-year period of the Government Plan, with additional expenditure in 2021 estimated to be £18.8 million. This includes:
Government Covid-19 Response: additional expenditure in 2021 of
£18.8 million on the Payroll Co-Funding Scheme and Income Support for Islanders.
For further detail on the above additional expenditure, please see table 17.
We will also invest £5.1 million in initiatives included in last year s Government Plan.
How will we measure our sustainable wellbeing impact
We measure our sustainable wellbeing impact and Jersey s overall progress towards sustainable wellbeing by monitoring a wide range of outcomes and metrics in Jersey s Performance Framework. The full set of metrics and data is available on gov.je .
Examples of the Island Outcomes this Priority aims to progress further:
Households have sufficient income to afford a decent standard of living Islanders enjoy life in a strong, inclusive community
Islanders with long-term health conditions enjoy a good quality of life Jersey is an affordable place to live
Jersey has a sufficient supply of housing
Housing in Jersey is good quality
Housing in Jersey is affordable.
Examples of the Island Indicators this Priority aims to progress further:
Change in value of average earnings allowing for inflation (by sector)
% of households who find it quite or very difficult to cope financially
Change in value of income inequality indicators (90-10 ratio and Gini
coefficient)
% of Islanders living in relative low income households (before and after housing costs)
Number and % of new homes that are affordable
Number of Islanders who are Actively Seeking Work (ASW)
% annual increase in house price index
% annual increase in rental price index
% of low-income households in qualified private rental accommodation in rental stress
% of Islanders who are very satisfied with their housing
% of Islanders who rate their life satisfaction as 7 or more out of 10
% of Islanders with a disability who rate their life satisfaction as 7 or more out of 10.
We will protect and value our environment
by embracing environmental innovation and ambition, by protecting the natural environment through conservation, protection, sustainable resource use and demand management, and by improving the built environment, to retain the sense of place, culture and distinctive local identity.
Headlines
We will continue to utilise the Climate Emergency Fund in order to support a new sustainable transport plan and other key initiatives
We will continue to improve countryside access for Islanders
We will continue to implement schemes that encourage changes in
how we travel, increasing cycling, walking and the use of sustainable transport, that deliver a sustainable reduction in carbon emissions, and that increase the level of protection afforded to our environment
We will seek to change behaviours in respect of pollution and waste
We will protect our habitats and species through better legislation and
enforcement
We will tackle the climate emergency with energy and pace, and move
quickly towards becoming a sustainable, low-carbon jurisdiction
We will increase the subsidy for the bus network to enable a
break-even position whilst capacity on services remains impacted by physical distancing
We will invest in research surrounding inland water quality including
PFAS and pesticide research and essential staffing relating to catchment management
We will provide additional resource to the Marine Resources
Management Team to respond to implications arising from Brexit
Introduction
In February 2020, the States Assembly unanimously agreed the Carbon Neutral Strategy. This outlined the strategic context and principles
and upon which a grass-roots community approach would be used to develop Jersey s detailed road map towards carbon neutrality. Crucial to responding to the climate emergency and biodiversity crisis was a Citizens Assembly, which had been planned for early 2020 but had to be paused due to the public health restrictions on gatherings.
In March 2020, the States Assembly agreed the Sustainable Transport Policy, which comprised two parts. Firstly, a framework for a sustainable transport system that gave a vision supported by four pieces of rapid analysis needed to form a detailed approach to transitioning our transport system into one that promotes the sustainable wellbeing of future generations. Secondly, a Strong Start Delivery Plan for 2020 that offered several immediate projects, pilots and improvements.
Both reports, and their associated work streams, marked the beginning of an intensive phase of development and delivery that will ultimately re-shape the Island s response to the global challenge of climate change and our approach to travel within the Island.
Alongside these, the Island Plan Review programme began the process of reshaping our future spatial planning policy for the next decade, addressing major strategic challenges and tensions like planning for the need for homes, safeguarding the environment, supporting the economy, responding to our ageing population and securing good design and creating better places.
The pandemic response and the subsequent redeployment of staff and resources paused progress on these major strategic initiatives. It has not, however, diminished their importance as we move forward in a rapidly changed world. The Island Plan will be reprogrammed to cover a shorter bridging timeframe. In addition, dealing with the climate emergency remains a priority for the Council of Ministers and the response to the pandemic has shown we can adapt quickly and make significant changes in response to such emergency situations.
A post-virus resumption of unsustainable behaviours and lifestyles would miss the chance to make dramatic changes that this momentous time presents. For example, the experience of the pandemic has provided a glimpse of different ways of working that will impact our need to travel in old unsustainable ways, therefore influencing our spatial planning, the location of our workplaces, where we build new homes and the transport services we will need in the future.
The economic recovery can offer a new sustainable growth strategy, which is able to deliver on the twin benefits of stimulating economies and creating jobs while accelerating the green transition, reducing emissions and protecting biodiversity.
Our investment in 2021
In addition to the investment that will continue from 2020, we will also invest for the first time in 2021 in the following initiatives:
Covid-19 GP21-CSP5-C-01 Covid-19 Bus Contract respond, We will increase the subsidy for the bus network to enable a break-even recover and position whilst passenger capacity on bus services remains impacted by
the need for physical distancing to reduce transmission of the virus.
renew
IHE CT5
Protecting GP21-CSP5-2-04 Natural Environment Water the natural We will invest in research surrounding inland water quality including environment per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and pesticide research and
essential staffing relating to catchment management.
IHE
GP21-CSP5-2-05 Marine Resources Management
We will provide additional resource to the Marine Resources Management Team to respond to implications arising from Brexit.
IHE CT2
The Climate Emergency Fund will be the source of further additional expenditure in 2021 and will focus on:
Climate GP20-CSP5-1-01 Policy Development on Carbon Neutral and Emergency Sustainable Transport Plan Fund WNeeuwtrialll sapnedn Sdu£s0ta.5in mabillleio Tnr oanns Pp oo lr ict yP l Da en v - e t lh oi ps mw eilln bt eo nu sthe ed Ctoa erbn os nu re
continued technical support by external advisors to run an independent citizens assembly as agreed in the Carbon Neutral Strategy (P.127/2019). Due to Covid-19-related delays, the assembly had to be re-scheduled
into early 2021 with an increased focus on kick-starting this important workstream and delivering on the response to the climate emergency
in this Government s term. Other expenditure from this area includes technical expert support for policy development, both for carbon
neutrality but also the Sustainable Transport Plan, including resources
to help with project development delivery.
IHE SPPP CT2
GP20-CSP5-1-01 Strengthening Environmental Protection
We will spend £0.3 million on strengthening environmental protection
- this constitutes unspent money for 2020 projects agreed in the previous Government Plan but deferred due to Covid-19. It includes the development of an Invasive and Non-Native Species Strategy and resources for on the ground biosecurity measures, particularly around Asian Hornet control, marine species research and work to support tree protection and conservation.
IHE SPPP CT2
GP20-CSP5-1-01 Sustainable Transport Initiatives
We will spend £3.2 million on sustainable transport initiatives - the States Assembly agreed the Sustainable Transport Policy P.128/2019. It outlined a strong start programme of several immediately-achievable projects, as well as outlining four rapid assessments which needed to
be undertaken to define a detailed programme of sustainable transport policies and infrastructure initiatives. The 2021 projected expenditure of £3.2 million was estimated expenditure, which would be defined by the 2020 work. Due to Covid-19-related delays, much of the 2020 work will be carried into 2021.
IHE CT2
GP20-CSP5-1-01 Strengthening Protection of the Natural Environment
We will spend £0.5m strengthening protection of the natural environment - despite the delay of some of the climate emergency work in 2020, there is an opportunity to maintain momentum on important projects related to the climate emergency and biodiversity crisis. These projects have been prioritised by the Natural Environment Directorate and can be supported by the fund. Included is work to evaluate local soil health, biodiversity and habitat management - including projects that, as well as having a strong conservation element, also contributes to the drawdown of carbon by local ecosystems, and resources to make sure levels of biosecurity are maintained and enhanced.
IHE SPPP CT2
Please see Appendix 3 for more information on these initiatives.
Please see Appendix 4 for information on investment that will continue from 2020 that was approved in last year s Government Plan.
Funding this priority
We will resource these activities through base departmental budgets and/or existing funds, and additional investment. This additional expenditure will total £5.7 million over the four-year period of the Government Plan, with additional expenditure in 2021 estimated to be £2.6 million. This includes:
Government Covid-19 Response: additional expenditure in 2021 of
£2.0 million on supporting bus services
Protecting the natural environment: additional expenditure in 2021
of £0.6 million on Marine Resources management and natural environment.
For further detail on the above additional expenditure, please see table 46.
We will also invest £3.1 million in initiatives included in last year s Government Plan.
We will be investing in infrastructure associated with this priority, with capital expenditure of £18.2 million in 2021 and totalling £87.2 million over the four-year period (for further detail, please see table 17).
How will we measure our sustainable wellbeing impact
We measure our sustainable wellbeing impact and Jersey s overall progress towards sustainable wellbeing by monitoring a wide range of outcomes and metrics in Jersey s Performance Framework. The full set of metrics and data is available on gov.je .
Examples of the Island Outcomes this Priority aims to progress further: Jersey s natural habitats and species are protected and conserved Jersey benefits from low pollution levels including good air quality
Jersey protects its natural water supply
Jersey manages the amount of waste products
Islanders live in a healthy environment
Housing in Jersey is good quality
Jersey will become a carbon neutral island
Islanders use sustainable modes of transport
St Helier is an attractive town in which to live, work and visit.
Examples of the Island Indicators this Priority aims to progress further:
% of Jersey s surface area (excluding inland water and inter-tidal areas) that is classed as natural environment and land under cultivation
% of farmland achieving LEAF accreditation
Abundance of key indicator species (birds and butterflies)
The number of times average monthly nitrogen dioxide concentrates
exceed European Directive limits
% of pesticide detections in natural water resources above the limit (0.1 ug/l) and average nitrate levels (mg/l) in surface streams
Jersey s emission level of greenhouse gases
% of non-inert waste that is recycled
% of journeys to work made by walking, cycling or public transport
Morning peak traffic on nine main routes towards St Helier
% of Islanders who are very satisfied with their neighbourhood as a place to live
% of Islanders who are very satisfied with their housing.
Part three Modernising Government
We will improve the way in which Government and the public service function, so they deliver modern, efficient, effective and value-for-money services and infrastructure, sound long-term strategic and financial planning, and encourage closer working and engagement among politicians and Islanders.
A States Assembly and Council of Ministers that work together for the common good
A new, long term strategic framework that extends beyond the term of a Council of Ministers
A modern, innovative public sector that meets the needs of Islanders effectively and efficiently
ongoing
initiatives A sustainable long-term fiscal framework and
public finances that make better use of our public assets
An electoral system which encourages voter turnout and meets international best practice
Headlines
We will invest in the modernisation of the public sector through the use
of digital technologies
We will continue to transform the way in which we manage public
finances, including greater long-term financial insight
We will deliver cumulative sustainable efficiencies from 2020 to 2023
through a detailed and rigorous Efficiencies Programme
We will provide funding for the implementation of new Target Operating
Models within the Government to enable collaborative delivery and increased value for money from government spending
We will continue to pay for the rent of 28-30 The Parade to provide
flexibility as part of a longer-term estate strategy
We will provide funding to cover the increase in insurance premiums
85 85
Introduction
The pandemic response has demonstrated the importance of working together as One Government and using new technology to respond flexibly and at speed. Without the flexibility created by the introduction of the One Government organisational changes, we would not have been able to have responded as effectively as we did to Covid-19.
In 2021, we will continue to deliver and support further organisation-wide change to enable the continued transformation of our Government into a modern and innovative public sector which meets the needs of Islanders, invests in our employees to reform our workforce and modernises how we work. This will enable us to deliver better outcomes and more efficient services for Islanders.
We will also continue to invest in the modernisation of the Government through the use of digital technologies, addressing the legacy of historic under-investment and protecting our technical infrastructure and data, and enabling us to be more efficient and agile in meeting Islanders needs.
In last year s Government Plan we outlined our proposals to bring forward a new office for States and Government employees in order to improve the modernisation of the public services workforce. Building on our experiences of home working during the pandemic response and enabled by our continued investment in technology, we will introduce flexible working practices that enable people to work where and when is appropriate for them and the outcomes that they need to achieve. This will not only help create an agile and modern workforce but will also be a key enabler of the Office Modernisation Programme.
In 2021 we will finalise the contractual arrangements for the development of the new office arrangements, the final detail of which is due to be completed by November 2020. We have highlighted in this plan our intention to finance the development in a flexible way to take account of our current fiscal circumstances. The Council of Ministers is recommending that we initially lease the proposed new facility from 2023 with the option to purchase the building by 2026, when further information is available about Jersey s economic landscape, the fiscal position facing the island
and the government s long-term borrowing commitments. This flexibility enables this important development to continue and in 2021 we include in the capital programme, funds to support the teams costs for progressing
the project to completion in 2023 and separately, the associated revenue expenditure.
At the same time, we will also continue to rebalance Government finances and deliver cumulative and sustainable efficiencies, and other rebalancing measures, from 2021 to 2024 to decrease the cost of services to Islanders, avoid wasting money, encourage innovation and promote improved cost effective services that will lead to a better improved provision for Islanders.
Our investment in 2021
In addition to the investment that will continue from 2020, we will also invest for the first time in 2021 in the following initiatives:
A modern, GP21-OI3-15 Commercial Services Restructure innovative We will provide funding for the implementation of the Commercial public sector Services Target Operating Model. Covid-19 has emphasised the
importance of supporting the whole of Government to deliver good
that meets value in our contractual relationships. By 2024, we will have in place a
the needs hpirgohtelyc tciaopna obfleinncoomvamtiveercaianldfu snucsttiaoinn,a ebnlea boluintcgo cmoellas b foorr athtieve I sdlaenlidve wryh i alsnt d
of Islanders also delivering increased value for money from government spending. effectively and
efficiently COO
GP21-OI3-16 Re-organisation Justice and Home Affairs
We will put in place sustainable funding for the Justice and Home Affairs Target Operating Model. Appropriately resourcing the Justice and Home Affairs department ensures that it has the means to continue to positively deliver its function and fully contribute to OneGov and
the wellbeing of the Island. The services provided by the Justice and Home Affairs department are critical to the delivery of public protection, law enforcement, emergency services and emergency planning.
The effectiveness of the delivery of these services clearly impacts
all Islanders community wellbeing as well as directly and indirectly ensuring Islanders environmental and economic wellbeing.
JHA CT8
GP21-OI3-17 Re-organisation Ministerial Support Unit
In the Government Plan 2020-2023, we secured improved resources for non-executive States Members, including dedicated research and casework staff.
In this Government Plan, we will consolidate funding for the Ministerial Support Unit to make sure we are providing sustainable support for Ministers with the resources they need to represent Islanders.
OCE
GP21-OI3-18 Re-organisation - Communications
We will consolidate funding for the Communications Directorate to provide sustainable resources to the organisation that will allow for enhanced internal communications and design work.
Due to Covid-19, there is an increased demand for internal and change communications to support the organisation with timely advice on public health measures, workplace restrictions, and all-Island messages.
Providing sustainable funding for a design team creates significant savings for the Government, with work done in-house being produced quicker and cheaper than procuring external agencies.
OCE
GP21-OI3-20 28-30 The Parade
We will continue to pay for the rent of 28-30 The Parade to provide flexibility as part of a longer-term estate strategy.
IHE CT8
GP21-OI4-2 Insurance Premiums
We will provide funding to cover an increase in insurance premiums. This will be used to ensure we have sufficient cover for a range of additional general and specific risks identified as part of the insurance re-tender process undertaken during 2019. In addition to the general premium increases due to the hardening of global insurance markets we have also procured a number of specialist insurances to mitigate specific threats in areas such as Cyber security.
T&E
GP21-OI3-CAPITAL Jersey Care Model Digital Systems
We will provide funding for new digital tools to use across the health and care system. These include investment for integrated care records, core record systems, hub and micro services, and analytics.
This will contribute to the delivery of the Jersey Care Model, which aims to:
Ensure care is person-centred with a focus on prevention and
self-care
Reduce dependency on secondary care services by expanding
Primary and Community services in order to deliver more care in the community and at home
Redesign of Health and Community services so that they are structured to meet the current and future needs of Islanders.
HCS
GP21-OI3-CAPITAL Fort Regent (Early Phase)
We will provide funding for pre-feasibility work and early phase work at Fort Regent ahead of the main project.
This will allow for the evaluation of options and some quick win projects
IHE
GP21-OI3-CAPITAL Office Modernisation
We will provide funding to continue to progress the Office Modernisation project as outlined in the Strategic Outline Case approved by COM in September 2019.
This will enable the Government of Jersey to more effectively discharge its duties to support Ministers, the States Assembly and the public
it serves. It will also improve the efficiency and effectiveness of operational costs that support the public estate as well as productivity savings (both of which will be fully qualified in the Final Business Case); whilst at the same time consolidating our overall office estate. This
will also allow for more cost-effective use of our accommodation and the release of sites for redevelopment for alternative uses, including housing.
OCE
GP21-OI3-CAPITAL Benefits and Payments System - NESSIE
Changes to the Benefits and Payments System will be funded from the Social Security Fund.
This will enable the Customer and Local Services department to: Deliver customer-centric and organisational change
Take advantage of significantly faster software enhancement
development cycle times;
Mitigate issues associated with the current system programming
languages
Act before the above become significant business risks.
CLS
GP21-OI3-CAPITAL Firearms Range
A new Firearms Range for the States of Jersey Police will be provided via funding from the Criminal Offences Confiscation Fund.
This will allow the Government of Jersey and States of Jersey Police to meet the required level of Health and Safety and College of Policing Licensing requirements. This will keep the Island safe and secure.
JHA
Please see Appendix 3 for more information on these initiatives.
Please see Appendix 4 for information on investment that will continue from 2020 that was approved in last year s Government Plan.
Non-Ministerial Department Investment in 2021
Introduction
The Non-Ministerial Departments (see Appendix 1 for full list) are constitutionally separate from the Government of Jersey.
Article 10 of the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2019 requires the Government Plan, lodged by the Council of Ministers, to set out the proposed amount to be appropriated from the Consolidated Fund for the next financial year, in relation to the operations of a Non-Ministerial States body for 2021.
The head of expenditure for the Non-Ministerial Departments can be found at Appendix 2.
Our investment in 2021
Included in the head of expenditure are the following new investments for 2021 proposed by the Non-Ministerial Departments:
GP21-OI-NON-07 BASS Funding- Funding of x3 FTE / Regrading of Staff, New Trainee Probation Officer, Various
The Jersey Probation and After-care Service requests funding for:
Replacement funding to cover the structural loss of income used
to pay for existing staff posts fulfilling the Building a Safer Society ( BASS ) strategy
To enable full funding of a Trainee Probation post
To cover additional costs as a result of States Employment Board
decision to regrade three posts, effective January 2020, and another two posts during 2020.
NM PROBATION
GP21-OI-NON-08 CAG Inflation Funding
The Comptroller and Auditor General requests inflation funding to ensure that their budget is increased in line with commitments under index-linked contracts over the term of the Government Plan.
NM COMPTROLLER AND AUDITOR GENERAL
GP21-OI-NON-10 Crown Appointment Pension Increase
Bailiff s Chambers requests funding in order to align the Crown Officers salaries and benefits with UK standards, the States Employment Board (SEB) approved the increase to pension payments in 2019.
NM BAILIFF S CHAMBERS
And in 2022:
GP21-OI-NON-09 Election 2022
The Judicial Greffe requests funding in order to cover the cost of the 2022 Elections.
NM JUDICIAL GREFFE
Rebalancing Government Finances 2021
Introduction
In 2019 the States Assembly agreed that the Council of Ministers bring forward detailed proposals each year, to be included as a separate paragraph within the Government Plan proposition, seeking the Assembly s specific endorsement of each of the efficiencies contained in the Government Plan .
The Government Plan 2020-2023 set out the ambition to achieve £100 million of efficiencies, with the first £40 million to be achieved in 2020. The plan for £40 million in 2020 was published in October 2019 and
a performance update was published as part of the Government Plan
Six Monthly Report in August 2020. This plan continues that ambition, setting out the detail of the 2021 plan to deliver £20 million of efficiencies and other rebalancing measures, and trails some of the activities and programmes of work that will support the rebalancing of finances over the remainder of the Government Plan 2021-2024.
While the Efficiencies Plan 2020 was published as a standalone report, the approval of Proposition 88/2019 requires the presentation of the plan within this and future Government Plans.
At the time of writing, the impacts of Covid-19 are still readily apparent and the effect on Government finances is considerably greater than the impact of efficiencies. As described in the 2020 Government Plan Six Monthly Report multiple approaches will be required to balance Government finances, including a wide range of fiscal measures, borrowing strategies, economic stimulus, treatment of funds and the delivery of savings and efficiencies. This represents a shift to a broader set of financial
rebalancing measures into which the efficiencies have been subsumed.
The financial impact of these multiple approaches focuses on areas such as:
A reduction in revenue spend, delivering better quality services for less
More efficient collection of existing income and better debt
management
Increasing the Government s revenue through further recovery of
existing costs, moving towards full cost recovery of services where appropriate
The extension and increase of existing charges or the introduction of
new charges as revenue-raising measures.
All of the work continues to progress the application of the One Government principles to the organisation.
Governance
As in 2020, the plan for 2021 was developed by Directors General and reviewed by relevant Ministers before formal approval by the Council of Ministers.
In order to drive through the rebalancing of the Government s finances the Government established a small project team that worked through the Operating Committee and reported into the Executive Leadership Team and relevant Ministers in generating ideas and proposals for consideration.
These were presented line by line to the Council of Ministers for consideration and challenge before being proposed as part of the Government Plan.
Efficiencies and other rebalancing measures approved through the Government Plan debate will result in cash limit reductions and/or income forecast increases at departmental budget level. The performance of
each proposal will then be tracked monthly through the finance budget monitoring process and, where appropriate, with additional qualitative information provided through a project management system.
It is anticipated that performance updates on the 2021 plan will be provided in August 2021 and February 2022.
Officers and Ministers will continue to engage with the Efficiencies Review Panel to provide updates on the delivery and impact of the plan.
Sustainable wellbeing impact assessment
A critical aspect of assessing each proposal is understanding the potential impact of its delivery on sustainable wellbeing. We have introduced a simple sustainable wellbeing impact assessment which we will review and refine in 2021 (see Part One Sustainable Wellbeing). Detailed descriptions of proposals will be published alongside the Government Plan for information and which include an initial assessment of impact on Islanders and staff and considers sustainable wellbeing.
Summary Plan for 2021 by Minister
The budget impact of the plan to deliver £20 million of efficiencies and rebalancing measures in 2021 is set out below and sub-totalled against each Minister or the Council of Ministers. Summary descriptions of proposals are then set out in the next table and more detailed descriptions of proposals will be published alongside the Government Plan for information.
Allocation by Minister |
| 2021 (£) |
Chief Minister |
| 1,303,000 |
Council of Ministers |
| 5,418,000 |
Minister for Children and Housing |
| 555,000 |
Minister for Health and Social Services |
| 5,000,000 |
Minister for Home Affairs |
| 765,000 |
Minister for Infrastructure |
| 4,500,000 |
Minister for Social Security |
| 442,000 |
Minister for Treasury and Resources |
| 1,280,000 |
Ministers for Infrastructure , Environment, EDTSC |
| 750,000 |
Grand Total 20,013,000 Table 1 Efficiencies and rebalancing measures 2021 - allocation by Minister
Income Spend reduction
£2.2m £16.9m Recurring Recurring
£450k £850k One off One off
Figure 3 - Efficiencies and other rebalancing measures
Infographic presents income and spend reduction only and has been rounded
Summary Plan for 2021 by proposal
Efficiencies and other rebalancing proposals will result, in the majority of cases, in either a reduction in cash limit and/or an increase in income forecast. In a small number of cases there is an increase in cash limit (values shown in brackets).
This more detailed allocation sets out summary descriptions of each proposal, classification as either a recurring or one-off measure, budget impact and departmental allocations.
Depart- Recurring or Budget
Minister Summary description 2021 value (£)
ment one-off impact
Transfer technology functions from CYPES and HCS into Modernisation and Spend
Chief Minister COO Recurring 900,000
Digital continuing the application of OneGov principles reduction
Spend
Chief Minister SPPP Defer the implementation of the Public Services Ombudsman for one year. One off 378,000
reduction
Merge the support and re-plan commissioned research projects for the States Spend
Chief Minister COO Recurring 200,000
Employment Board and Jersey Appointments Commission reduction
Review and renegotiate the GoJ print contract securing some of the
Spend
Chief Minister COO reductions in print volumes derived from an increase in home working and Recurring 100,000
reduction
continued investment in technology
Defer the development of policy for Financial independence in old age by Spend
Chief Minister SPPP One off 50,000
one year reduction
Minister for Children Spend
SPPP Defer the development of policy for Long term housing by one year One off 25,000 and Housing reduction
Minister for Children Redesign the therapeutic support model for children with complex needs Spend
CYPES Recurring 200,000 and Housing (including neuro assessment) reduction
Minister for Children Review and realign the commissioned budget available for antenatal services Spend
CYPES Recurring 180,000 and Housing with demand. Note there will be no reduction to the service reduction
Minister for Children Review and realign the budget for care leavers with demand. Note there will Spend
CYPES Recurring 100,000 and Housing be no reduction to the service reduction
Minister for Children Review and realign the budget for intensive fostering with demand. Note Spend
CYPES Recurring 50,000 and Housing there will be no reduction in the service reduction
Minister for Health Implement proposals from the HCS Zero Based Budget exercise once Spend
HCS Recurring 5,000,000 and Social Services approved by the Minister reduction
Sell a domestic dwelling no longer required by the Fire and Rescue Service
Minister for Home
JHA whilst compensating for the reduction in rental income (prudent estimate One off Income 450,000 Affairs
pending valuation)
Minister for Home Through the application of enhanced workforce planning implement a Spend
JHA: SoJP Recurring 215,000 Affairs vacancy factor equivalent to approximately 1% of staff costs reduction
Minister for Home Spend
JHA Continue the digital transformation of GST and Customs services Recurring 50,000 Affairs reduction
Minister for Home Continue the organisational implementation of electronic rostering to replace Spend
JHA Recurring 50,000 Affairs paper based rostering processes reduction