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Public Accounts Committee - Approved Committee Minutes - 15 October 2012

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Public Accounts Committee

Record of Meeting

Date:   15th October 2012 Meeting No:  10

 

Present

Deputy T. Vallois, Chairman Senator S. C. Ferguson, Deputy R. Rondel

Deputy G. Baudains

Mr S. Haigh

Mr I. Ridgway

Mr J Mills

Apologies

 

In attendance

Mr M. Robbins, Scrutiny Officer

 

Ref Back

Agenda matter

Action

 

1.  Constitution of Committee

The Committee noted the resignation of Deputy S. Pitman from the Committee  and  the  Chairman  and  members  welcomed   Deputy  G. Baudains as a new member.  

 

 

2.  Records of Meetings

The  records  of  the  meetings  held  on  17th  September  2012  were approved and signed by the Chairman.

 

 

3.  Questioning Training

Committee  Members  who  attended  the  questioning  training  were offered the opportunity to complete a feedback form.

 

Item  4 17.09.12

4.  Comptroller and Auditor General.

The  Chairman  circulated  documents  for  the  information  of  the Committee and gave an oral update on the progress of the recruitment of a new Comptroller and Auditor General.

 

 

5.  Shadow Tourism Board

The Minister for Economic Development had written to the Chairman inviting the Committee to examine the proposal to establish a Tourism Shadow Board'. In accordance with P170/2010 (Shadow Boards and Ministerial Boards: approval by the States), the Minister was obliged to seek the views of the Committee.

It  was  the  decision  of  the  Committee  that  the  Minister  was  to  be informed that the examination of future policy was outside the remit of the Committee and therefore the Committee had undertaken no formal work on the matter. However, as P170/2010 required the Committee to

 

 

be consulted, it was the view of the Committee that the establishment of a Shadow Tourism Board' to fulfil roles that were currently undertaken internally, did not appear to offer value for money as the roles should be honorary with the exception of the Chairman in order to attract a more diverse  range  of  candidates.  Further,  that  the  name  shadow'  was unsuitable as shadow boards had no power or responsibilities.

MR

Item  6 17.09.12

512/17

6.  Lime  Grove  House:  failure  to  acquire  for  use  of  Police Headquarters

Having  agreed  at  the  previous  meeting  that  a  review  would  be undertaken by the Committee the Chairman gave an oral update in relation  to  informing  the  Chairmen's  Committee  of  that  decision. Scoping documents and Terms of Reference were not prepared in time for the Chairmen's Committee meeting which had been held the day after the Committee decision to undertake the review.

The Chairmen's' Committee had been informed by the Chairman of the PAC objective but it had already been aware of that intention.

The Scrutiny Manager was on annual leave until November when the scoping documents were to be drafted.

TV

 

7.  Printer Contract

Following a question asked in the States to the Minister for Treasury and  Resources  on  25th  September  2012,   Deputy  M.  Higgins  has

requested the Committee examines the recent allocation of the printer contract for the States of Jersey.

In  preparation  for  that,  the  background  documentation  had  been requested from the Treasury but had not been supplied in time for the meeting.  It  was  noted  that  the  Treasurer  had  offered  to  give  the Committee a briefing on the issues. This offer had been declined by the Chairman until the documentation had been examined. The offer would be accepted should the need arise.

The documentation was to be circulated on receipt.

MR

 

8.  Future meetings

In preparation for the setting of the dates for the Committee meetings through 2013, the Committee considered its regular meeting day and time. It was agreed that Monday was a suitable day for members and that  meeting  over  the  lunchtime  period  was  most  appropriate. Arrangements were to be made for all meetings to be from 1230hrs on a Monday.

The Committee agreed that the next formal scheduled meeting was to be at 12.30 pm on Monday 12th November 2012 in the Blampied Room

of the States Buildings.

MR

MR

Item  1 08.10.12

512/16

9.  Financial Report and Accounts 2011.

Figures  provided  to  the  Chairman  by  the  Transport  and  Technical Services  Department  were  to  be  circulated.  The  Chairman  was requested to decide whether it was necessary to hold a public hearing with that department.

In preparation for the public hearing with the Treasurer of the States,

MR

 

the perception of conflicts of interest was discussed. It was decided that there were no significant areas of conflict but at the start of the hearing such areas as may be considered a conflict were to be discussed.

The Committee welcomed the Treasurer of the States and members of the  Treasury  to  a  Public  Hearing.  The  hearing  was  recorded  for broadcast by podcasting' with the transcripts published on the Public Accounts Committee web page.