Membership of the Jersey Community Relations Trust and how often it meets

1240/5(3367)

WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE CHIEF MINISTER BY DEPUTY G.C.L. BAUDAINS OF ST. CLEMENT

ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 19th JUNE 2007 Question

With regard to the Jersey Community Relations Trust, would the Chief Minister advise –

( a ) who the current members are?

( b ) how often they meet?

( c ) w  hether any member has missed more than 10% of meetings and, if so, how many? ( d ) a c hievements of the Trust to date?

( e ) funds expended to date?

Answer

1. The current Trustees are -

M  rs Iris Le Feuvre, MBE

M  rs Marisha Carter

M  r Freddie Cohen  (now Senator*) M  r Nick Hutchinson

M  r Geoff Cornwall

M  rs Collete Crill

M  r Tim Langlois

M  rs Lorna Pestana

*  Senator Cohen was not a States member when he was appointed as an independent Trustee, and has continued as a member of the Committee since his election, in accordance with paragraph 5.9 of the Trust's Constitution.

The terms of office of the Chairman of the Trust (Mr. Nick Hutchinson) and the States-appointed Trustee (Senator Philip Ozouf ) expired on 7th June 2007, and I will be bringing forward a proposition to the States in the very near future for their reappointment or replacement.

2. The Constitution of the Trust requires that the Committee of Trusteesshouldmeetnotless than four times a year.

In 2005 the Trustees met on five occasions; in 2006 they met seven times; and in 2007, up to May, they have met five times.

3. The Trustis an independent body. The Chief Minister'sDepartmentdoes not participate in meetings of the Trustees, and keepsnorecordof attendance by theTrustees.  

H o w ever, the Trust has informed me that all but two of the Trustees have missed more than 10% of the meetings, for valid reasons. The number of Trustees is based on an assumption that not all can attend

every meeting, since all are volunteers and the majority have full-time jobs and other commitments.

Meetings are therefore deliberately alternated between early mornings or lunchtimes, to provide flexibility for

those who are unable to attend at one of these times.

T h e a verage meeting attendance was 74% which, in my opinion, is very good given the voluntary nature

of the role, and all the Trustees should be commended for their commitment and support for the Trust.

4. The achievementsof the Trust were listed in the CommunityRelationsTrust's Strategic Plan2007-2011, presented to the States bythe Chief Minister on 27th March 2007(RC.29/2007). Theseincluded -

• Preparing a directory of organisations involved in community relations issues

• Establishing contacts points for the public and publishing a website

• Organising an educational exhibition in conjunction with the Anne Frank Centre

• Organising public meetings to promote the objectives of the Trust

• Developing a business plan

• Developing a link with Rwanda on community issues

• Actively contributing to consultation on human rights, immigration and discrimination law proposals

• Actively contributing to the school citizenship curriculum on discrimination issues

• Engaging with the Statistics User Group to develop indicators on community relations

• Organising promotional events to raise awareness of community relations issues

• Organising events to engage community cohesion, e.g. Live8Jersey

• Giving support for 10 small scale projects to promote community relations

• Launching an island-wide Anti-discrimination Promise for businesses and public sector organisations.

In 2007, the Trust will –

• Organise a major Discrimination Conference – on 7 September

• Roll-out further the Anti-discrimination Promise

• Further increase its profile and business activities.

5. The Trustreceivedan initial pump-priminggrant approved by the Statesof £100,000,whichwas intended to support it for the first 18months, and has since then raised a further £48,000. In its first three years the Trusthas spent £127,000 and, at the time of preparing its Strategic Plan,ithad £21,000 in balance.