Letter - Chief Minister to CSSP - Government Plan 2025-2028 - 26 July 2024

Deputy Helen Miles ,

Chair, Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel By email

 26th July 2024

Dear Chair,

Re: Government Plan 2025-2028 (The Budget) Thank you for your letter of 12th July 2024.

The annual Budget (formerly the Government Plan) for 2025 is being lodged earlier than in previous years, and this will enable the Council of Ministers to focus on the delivery of the priorities in the approved Common Strategic Policy. The Treasury team will also deliver the Annex imminently. Early lodging gives States Members additional time over the summer to review the Budget.

Ministers and their Chief Officers are developing annual Business Plans for their departments, and these will be subject to the well-established Scrutiny mechanisms through which Panels can query implementation timelines and hold Ministers to account. The central oversight process has been streamlined, which in turn reduces costs in the Cabinet Office. The annual Business Plans will support the delivery of the Common Strategic Policy and Budget, which are closely monitored by the Council of Ministers.

Please see responses to your queries and requests for information:

1. Final meeting of the Council of Ministers to approve the Government Plan

The Council of Ministers met on Thursday, 18th July to approve the Budget, pending any final amendments to address any comments raised and quality assurance checks.

2. Lodging of the Government Plan Proposition

We will be lodging the Budget late next week, which provides for an approximate 17- week review period – above the 12 weeks required by Standing Orders – before it is debated at the Tuesday, 26th November sitting.

3. Presentation of the Government Plan Annex

Since my letter of Friday, 5th July, significant progress has been made on preparing the Budget, and I can confirm that the Annex will be published within a few days of lodging.

4. When the All States Members' briefing on the Proposition will be held

We plan to brief all States Members on the Proposition on the same day as lodging, and we will share an advance copy of the Proposition and the Budget the day before. The invitations for the briefing will follow shortly.

5. Publication of the Departments' Business Plans

We expect Business Plans for 2024 to be available on gov.je in early August. While these have limited relevance to the 2025 Budget, it is important that we produce these plans for the remainder of this year.

6. Publication/sharing of the Youth Friendly version of the Government Plan The Youth Friendly version will be published alongside the Annex.
7. When Scrutiny Members can receive a technical briefing on the Government Plan and accompanying Annex

See above. If States Members in Scrutiny feel additional technical briefings with Ministers and/or officials are needed, I am happy for these to be arranged.

Information Requested

1. A progress update in response of the previous year's progress and spends

We do not intend to publish a progress report as was the case in the previous Government. Rather we would ask that Panels use the established scrutiny process to hold Ministers to account for progress on policies, legislation, and spending in the same way as before the last Government.

2. Detail on any new revenue growth bids (growth tables) and related business cases

We will share the funding summaries for the Common Strategic Policy 2024-2026 growth with Scrutiny alongside the Annex.

3. A  spreadsheet  outlining  the  capital  and  other  projects,  which  identifies continuing and new allocated projects by Ministerial department

A spreadsheet outlining the above will be provided to Scrutiny alongside the Annex.  

4. The latest Financial Report

We will share the Q2 Financial Report during August.

I trust the above is of use to the Panel and if you have any more queries, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours sincerely,

Deputy Lyndon Farnham Chief Minister

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