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Corporate Services - Approved Panel Minutes - 14 March 2013

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Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel

Record of Meeting

Date:   14th March 2013 Meeting No:  76

 

Present

Senator S.C. Ferguson, Chairman Deputy J.G. Reed, Vice-Chairman Connétable D.J. Murphy

Apologies

Deputy S. Power Deputy R.J. Rondel  

Absent

 

In attendance

Miss S. McKee , Scrutiny Officer Mr. W. Millow , Scrutiny Officer

 

Ref Back

Agenda matter

Action

 

1. Records of Meetings

The Panel agreed to defer approval of the records of meetings until its next meeting on 27th March 2013.

 

25/02/13 Item 4

513/37(3)

2. Minister for External Relations

The Panel received an update on the status of its review of External Relations. It was noted that, following the Panel's agreement at its last meeting, a request for written submissions had been sent to the Minister  for  Treasury  and  Resources,  the  Minister  for  Economic Development, the Bailiff of Jersey, HM Attorney General and His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor. It was also noted that those identified above had been asked to provide the Panel with written submissions by the end of March 2013.

The Panel identified further individuals it would like to request written submissions from to assist in its review. Subsequently the Scrutiny Officer was requested to contact those identified.

The  Panel  agreed  that  it  would  be  beneficial  for  the  review  to ascertain  the  structure  of  Ministerial  Government,  and  the  policy behind that structure, in other jurisdictions such as the Isle of Man and Guernsey, in order for a comparison to be made. The Scrutiny Officer  was  therefore  requested  to  undertake  research  into  this matter.

In order to inform the media and general public of the Panel's review, the  Scrutiny  Officer  was  requested  to  draft  a  press  release  and circulate to the Panel for approval. The Panel also agreed that a call for evidence should be made to the general public. The Scrutiny Officer was requested to undertake the necessary actions.

WM

WM

SM SM

 

3. Quarterly Public Hearing with the Chief Minister

The Panel considered areas of questioning for the Quarterly Public Hearing with Senator I.J. Gorst , Chief Minister, on 21st March 2013.

 

 

The Panel requested that a draft question plan be put together and circulated for Panel consideration. It was agreed that the plan should take into account the previous Quarterly meeting held with the Chief Minister and the 2013 Departmental Business Plan for the Chief Minister's Department.

It was noted that 21st March was a States continuation day and it was for that reason that the Public Hearing with the Chief Minister had been arranged for 1:00pm that afternoon.

Deputy J.G. Reed provided his apologies to the Panel as he would be unable to attend the Quarterly Hearing with the Chief Minister on 21st March 2013.

SM/WM

27/02/13 Item 9

4. GST De Minimis

The Panel recalled that it had been due to meet the President of the Chamber of Commerce on 13th March 2013 to discuss his topic proposal regarding GST De Minimis levels. However, due to bad weather  conditions  the  Panel  meeting  had  been  unfortunately cancelled. The Panel was advised that consequently the President had  been  invited  to  attend  the  Panel  meeting  today  but  was unavailable.

The Scrutiny Officer was requested to arrange another meeting with the President of Chamber and Commerce. The next Panel meeting, due to take place on 27th March 2013, was identified as a potential meeting date.

It was agreed that the Panel would question the Minister for Treasury and Resources on the subject of GST De Minimis Levels at the next Quarterly Hearing, which was due to take place on 18th April 2013.

SM

27/02/13 Item 5

513/1(43)

5. Public Finances Law

The Panel recalled its decision at its last meeting to seek an opinion from the Public  Accounts  Committee in regards to the proposed amendments  to  the  Public  Finances  (Jersey)  Law  2005.  In  this regard, the Panel was advised that this matter had been added to PAC's agenda to discuss at its next Committee meeting. The Panel was further advised that, although the Committee was due to meet on 11th March 2013, due to bad weather conditions the meeting had been postponed until Monday 18th March 2013. The Panel noted, therefore, that an update on this matter would be provided at its next meeting on 27th March 2013.

SM

27/02/13 Item 8

513/1(41)

6. Work Programme

The Panel noted and approved the following briefings that had been arranged in respect of potential future review topics:

  • Thursday 18th April 2013: Briefing on Amendments to the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2005.
  • Wednesday  22nd  May  2013:  Briefing  on  Capital  financing  of major projects.
  • 19th July 2013: Briefing on 2014 Budget: 19th July 2013.
  • 18th  September  2013:  Briefings  on  capital  financing  of  major projects and 2014 Budget.

 

 

In respect of the Panel's work programme, it was recalled that the timetable for the development of the Population Policy had not yet been  finalised  by  the  Executive  and,  as  a  result,  there  was uncertainty as to when a review on this matter could be carried out. It was further recalled that the Council of Ministers was due to meet on the 27th March 2013 to discuss the Population Policy timetable and that an update would be provided to the Panel after such time.

The Panel noted receipt of information it had received from the CMD regarding the various advisory groups that had been established to co-ordinate policy.

 

27/02/13 Item 3

513/37(2)

7. Deposit Loan Scheme

The Panel considered the draft report and identified amendments which it requested the Scrutiny Officer to enact.

The Panel noted that arrangements had been made for it to speak to the expert advisor from the Chartered Institute of Housing. The Panel  noted  that  not  all  Members  could  be  present  for  the discussions  and  it  was  therefore  agreed  that  they  would  be undertaken by the Chairman and Vice-Chairman.

 

 

8. Future Meetings

The Panel noted that its next scheduled meeting would take place at 8:30am on 27th March 2013. The Panel further noted that, ahead of that meeting, it would receive Senator I.J. Gorst , Chief Minister, for a Quarterly Public Hearing on 21st March 2013.

The Panel noted that a Citizenship Programme had been arranged for the morning of 26th June 2013, for which some Members of the Panel had been requested to attend. It was also noted that a Panel meeting was due to take place the morning of the 26th June 2013. The  Panel  agreed,  therefore,  to  re-arrange  its  meeting  for  the afternoon  to  allow  Panel  Members  to  attend  the  Citizenship Programme. Subsequently, the Scrutiny Officer was requested to enact the changes and send an update to the Panel.

SM