Corporate Services - Approved Panel Minutes - 13 December 2007

Present

Deputy P J D Ryan, Chairman Connétable J L S Gallichan Connétable D Murphy Deputy R Le Hérissier Deputy C Egré

Apologies

In attendance

Mr M Haden, Scrutiny Officer Miss S Power, Scrutiny Officer

Ref Back

Agenda matter

Action

1.

Minutes

The Panel approved the minutes of the 23rd November 2007.

2.

Item 7 23.11.07

Item 9 23.11.07

Matters arising

1. Introduction  of  Stamp  Duty  on  Share  Transfer  Property Transactions – The Panel noted that the draft legislation had been forwarded to its Adviser, and that his comments would be circulated as soon as they had been received.

2. Migration Policy Review – The Panel recalled that during the States sitting on the 4th December the Chairman had requested for the Chief

Minister to extend the public consultation for the Imagine Jersey 2035 issues by two months, given the wide ranging issues that were covered in this Consultation Guide. The Chairman informed Panel Members that this issue had been discussed by the Chairmen's Committee at its last meeting, and as this Consultation exercise covered issues relevant to all Scrutiny Panels, a letter supporting this request had subsequently been sent to the Chief Minister on behalf of the Chairmen's Committee.

3. IT Department – The Panel noted that Deputy Egré had attended a second meeting with the new Director of the IT Department, which had been extremely useful and constructive. A further meeting would be arranged in March in advance of the confirmation of provisional cash limits for the 2009 Business Plan.

3.

Item 3 23.11.07

States Annual Business Plan and Budget 2008

1. Draft Terms of Reference – The Panel approved the draft terms of reference, subject to one amendment to the reference to corporate efficiency savings, so as to clarify the distinction from the work of the Comptroller & Auditor General.

2. Draft Scoping Document – The Panel approved the draft scoping document for this Review. It  was agreed that the Scrutiny Officer should progress with the issue of identifying a suitable expert adviser,

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and requested for the Comptroller & Auditor General to be contacted to see if he would be able to recommend anybody that may be interested in this role. An approach to the Chartered Institute for Public Finance and Accountancy was also suggested.

c.  Council  of  Ministers  approved  report  –  The  Panel  noted  the approved Council of Ministers report regarding the process for the 2009 Business Plan.

d. Notes on Birmingham Scrutinising Finance Seminar – The Panel noted this document, and agreed that the Officer should look into the possibility  of  the  Head  of  Scrutiny  and  Democratic  Support  for Wolverhampton City Council assisting the Panel with its review, either as an adviser, or by providing training to Members.

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4.

Item 11 23.11.07

Report on proposed Waterfront Development –

The  Panel  discussed  the  draft  report,  and  requested  for  several amendments to be made to the report in order to clarify the precise remit  of  the  enquiry,  before  being  circulated  to  the  Panel  for  final approval.

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5.

Panel expenditure –

The Panel noted an estimate of expenditure for its reviews until the end of December 2007. It was further noted that since the production of this report  an  invoice  had  been  received  from  its  adviser. The  Panel therefore requested for an amended version of the report, to include the more accurate costs from this invoice, to be placed on the agenda for the next Panel meeting.

The Panel approved a budget of £8,070.00 for its review into a Level Playing Field, and further noted that the majority of this would come from its budget for 2008.

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6.

Item 7 23.11.07

Review  into  the  resource  implications  of  the  Freedom  of Information Legislation –

1. Draft Terms of Reference – The Panel noted and approved the draft terms of reference subject to one amendment.

2. Draft  Scoping  Document  –  The  Panel  noted  the  draft scoping document, and requested for the Scrutiny Officer to prepare a draft budget for this review to include the potential costs of an expert adviser, and requested for this to be placed on the agenda for the next Panel meeting, following which the Chairmen's Committee would be notified of the Panel's review accordingly.

3. Panel Membership – The Panel agreed that this review should be conducted by a Sub-Panel, to be constituted as follows: Deputy Ryan (Chairman);   Deputy  Le  Hérissier.   It  was  agreed  that   Connétable Gallichan would contact Connétable Hanning to see if he wished to be a member of the Sub-Panel.

4. Privileges and Procedures Committee –  The Panel noted that Connétable Gray, Chairman; and Deputy Gallichan, Vice-Chairman, of the Privileges and Procedures Committee wished to attend the next Panel Meeting to discuss the Panel's review. The Panel requested for the  Privileges  and  Procedures  Committee  to  be  contacted,  and requested to provide the Panel with all submissions that had been received from the consultation processes, in addition to all work that

had  been  conducted  to  date  on  the  resource  implications  of  the proposed law.

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7.

Item 7 23.11.07

Level Playing Field Review –

An open letter from the Chairman, on behalf of the Panel, was approved for circulation to all States Members and the media. It was agreed that this review would be conducted by the full Panel. It was noted a Public Hearing with Jersey Finance would be arranged for the New Year, to discuss the concerns that had recently been covered in the media.

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8.

Zero/Ten Review –

The Panel noted and approved an evaluation for the completion of the Zero/Ten Review. The Panel requested for the document to be sent to Senator Perchard, to see if he had any additional comments to be included.

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9.

Item 7 23.11.07

2008 Work Programme –

The Panel noted this document and the timescales and completion targets for each of its reviews.

10.

Forthcoming Legislation –

The Panel noted the items of draft legislation within its remit scheduled for debate by the States within the next month.

11.

Current Reviews –

The Panel noted an update summary for its current reviews.

12.

Future Meetings –

The  Panel  noted  a  provisional  meeting  schedule  for  2008,  and requested  for  its  principle  meetings  to  be  moved  to  a  Wednesday morning at 9.30 am, on non-States weeks, as not all Members were able  to  attend  on  a  Thursday. It  was  further  agreed  that  update meetings should not be included in the meeting schedule, and should only be arranged during States lunch breaks as and when required.

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13.

Chief Minister's Department Business Plan 2008 –

The Panel noted this document, in addition to a summary paper that had been prepared highlighting the Panel's areas of interest from within the Business Plan. It was agreed that a meeting with the Chief Minister should  be  arranged  in the  New  Year, to  include  discussion  of  this document, in addition to the next Strategic Initiatives Progress Report, once this has been published.

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14.

Any other business –

The Panel requested for future agendas to include an item detailing the arrangements for questions without notice to Ministers at future States sittings.

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