Education and Home Affairs - Approved Panel Minutes - 30 April 2007

Education & Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel

PUBLIC MEETING Record of Meeting

Date: 30th April 2007 Meeting 22

Present Deputy F. J. Hill , BEM, Chairman

Deputy D. W. Mezbourian , Vice-Chairman Deputy S. Pitman

Deputy J. Gallichan

Apologies

Absent

In attendance Senator M. E. Vibert , Minister for Education, Sport and Culture (Item 1)

Deputy J. B. Fox, Assistant Minister for Education, Sport and Culture (Item 1) Mr M. Lundy, Assistant Director – Schools and Colleges (Item 1)

Mr J. Littlewood, Head of Finance – Education, Sport and Culture (Item 1)

Senator W. Kinnard, Minister for Home Affairs (Item 1)

Mr S. Austin-Vautier, Chief Executive Officer – Home Affairs (Item 1) Mrs E. Middleton, Finance Director – Home Affairs (Item 1)

Deputy S. C. Ferguson, Chairman – Public Accounts Committee (Items 2 and 3)

Mr. C. Swinson OBE, Comptroller and Auditor General (Item 2)

Mr W. Millow , Scrutiny Officer Mr T. Oldham , Scrutiny Officer

formal response by Scrutiny to the Council of Ministers was

the end of April. However, this was not the deadline for all

scrutiny of the Annual Business Plan as this could take place

up  to  the  date  of  debate  due  in  September  2007,  and amendments could be lodged up to two weeks before that BH/DM/JG/ debate. SP

The  Panel  agreed  that  it  would  forward  questions  to  be considered for the meeting with the Chief Minister, Senator

F.H. Walker on 14th May 2007, to the Officers by Friday 4th May 2007.

[16.04.07 2. Early Years Education and Care

Item 4]

During its meeting with the Minister for Education, Sport and Culture in relation to the Annual Business Plan, the Panel received  an  update  on  the  Minister' work  regarding  Early Years.

The Panel requested the Officers to circulate copies of the WM/TO presentation made to the Panel on 18th April 2007 by Mr. M.

Lundy, Assistant Director – School and Colleges.

The Panel briefly met the Comptroller and Auditor General, Mr.

C,  Swinson  OBE,  and  Chairman  of  the  Public  Accounts Committee,   Deputy  S.C.  Ferguson.  The  Comptroller  and TO/WM Auditor General updated the Panel about the progress of the

Nursery Education report that he was preparing.

The Panel agreed that in light of its impending Review of Early Years that it would be useful for the Officers to remain in contact with the Comptroller and Auditor General on this issue.

Hard copies of the UK Education and Skills Select Committee Early Years Report 2000/1 and the subsequent Government Response were distributed to the Panel for inclusion in the Review folders.

The Panel considered and agreed both the Scoping Document WM and  Terms  of  Reference  for  the  Early  Years  Review.  It approved a preliminary budget for the Review of £15,200 that TO included  the  potential  for  undertaking  a  survey.  The  Panel agreed  that  a  letter  should  be  sent  to  the  Minister  for Education,  Sport  and  Culture  formally  notifying  him  of  the Terms of Reference for the Review. It requested that a draft media release and call for evidence should be prepared. Once

the media release had been approved it should be forwarded

to all States Members prior to being sent to the media.

The Panel noted that Deputy Mezbourian would be out of the island  for  the  three  of  the  weeks  identified  in  the  Project Outline for public hearings, and that some of the hearing dates also clashed with school holidays. The Panel was advised that TO the Project Outline was only a guide and a degree of flexibility would  inevitably  be  required  throughout  the  course  of  the Review.

That  Panel  agreed  that  it  was  likely  to  engage  an  expert adviser to assist during the Review and that a list of possible candidates should be drawn up for consideration. The Panel noted that the preliminary budget, as approved, included a sum of £9,500 for the appointment of an adviser.

The Panel agreed that it would work as a full Panel on the Review.

The Panel agreed that it would endeavour to present its report by the end of October 2007.

[02.04.07 3. Orchid Communications

Item 8]

The Panel noted the Scrutiny Public Engagement Summary prepared by Orchid Communications, and further received a summary of activity report for Orchid's work with Scrutiny for

the period 5th February 2007 to 30th March 2007. The Panel

was advised that a questionnaire on public engagement had

been prepared by Orchid for completion by Scrutiny Panels. WM/TO The  Officers  were  requested  to  circulate  copies  of  the

questionnaire to Panel Members.

The Panel discussed how it had engaged with Orchid and the role that Orchid had in relation to the Panel. It noted that at the meeting on 13th April 2007 the Chairmen's Committee had

agreed that it would request the views of all Panels regarding the service provided by Orchid.

4. Records of Previous Meetings

The Panel deferred signing the records of previous meetings until the following meeting on 14th May 2007.

5. Action Updates and Matters Arising

The Panel noted the actions that had occurred in relation to requests made at its previous meetings.

The  Panel  requested  that  the  Officers  distribute  the  Fort

Regent Conservation Statement, as referred to by the Minister WM/TO

for Education, Sport and Culture in the States on 17th April 2007.  It  had  been  agreed  during  the  discussions  with  the

Minister earlier in the meeting that it would be forwarded by the Department.

6. Ministerial Decisions

The Panel noted that the following decisions had been made by the Minister for Education, Sport and Culture between 11th

and 23rd April 2007:

Introduction of a Student Loans Facility for Students in Higher Education. (MD-ESC-2007-0021)

Community Development Annual report 2006. (MD-ESC- 2007-0020)

The Panel noted that the following decisions had been made by the Minister for Home Affairs between 11th and 23rd April 2007:

Transfer of 2007 Budgets within the Home Affairs Department. (MD-HA-2007-0030)

Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) (No 2) (Jersey) Law, 200-. (MD-HA-2007-0032)

Granite Products - Revised blasting times. (MD-HA- 2007-0031)

Jersey Pistol Club - safe storage construction (MD-HA- 2007-0029)

7. Future Meetings

The Panel noted that its next scheduled meeting would occur on  14th  April  2007  and  that  the  Chief  Minister  would  be attending at 10am.

8. Forthcoming Propositions

The  Panel  noted  that  the  following  propositions  had  been lodged au Greffe for debate by the States since the Panel Meeting on 16th April 2007:

P.52/2007  Student  loans  for  higher  education - introduction Education, Sport and Culture, Date of Debate: 5th June 2007

P.53/2007  Student  loans  for  higher  education – guarantees

Treasury and Resources, Date of Debate: 5th June 2007

[23.04.07 9. Centeniers in the Magistrate's Court

Item 1]

The Panel considered this matter during its discussions with the Minister for Home Affairs, at which point it was noted that the Panel had sought legal advice and that the draft report had been amended since its initial distribution to the Minister for comment.

Signed Date: ..

Chairman

Education & Home Affairs Panel