This content has been automatically generated from the original PDF and some formatting may have been lost. Let us know if you find any major problems.
Text in this format is not official and should not be relied upon to extract citations or propose amendments. Please see the PDF for the official version of the document.
Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel
Record of Meeting
Date: 24th July 2013 Meeting No: 96
Present | Senator S.C. Ferguson, Chairman Deputy J.G. Reed, Vice-Chairman Deputy R.J. Rondel |
Apologies | Connétable D.J. Murphy Deputy S. Power |
Absent |
|
In attendance | Miss S. McKee , Scrutiny Officer Mr. W. Millow , Scrutiny Officer |
Ref Back | Agenda matter | Action |
| 1. Record of Meetings The public record of the meeting held on 19th July and the private record of the meeting held on 26th June 2013 were approved and signed accordingly. |
|
10/07/13 Item 3 513/37(4) | 2. Public Finances (Jersey) Law Amendments The Panel noted receipt of the expert advisor's first draft report and received an update from the Officer on the status of the review. The Panel was advised that all information that had been requested from the Department of Treasury and Resources and the Chief Minister's Department had now been received. It was noted that all relevant information received from the Department had also been forwarded to the advisor for his consideration. The Panel agreed that it would be beneficial to send the advisor the following documents to consider: - Budget Management Report for the period ended 30th June 2012 - Budget Management Report for the period 31st December 2012 - Quarterly Corporate Report - March 2013 (confidential) The Panel was advised that a second draft report was due to be received from the advisor on Thursday 25th July 2013. It was further advised that the first draft of the Panel's report would be completed by Friday 1st August 2013 and circulated to the Panel by the end of play that day. Subsequently, the Panel agreed to meet on 5th August in order to consider and discuss the draft report. The Scrutiny Officer was requested to send out a meeting request to Panel Members and Deputy T.A. Vallois, who had been co-opted for this particular review. | SM SM SM |
15/07/2013 Item 12 513/1(47) | 3. 2014 Budget The Panel considered a draft Scoping Document and draft Terms of Reference which had been circulated to Members prior to the meeting. |
|
| The Panel was advised that, due to the restricted 8 week lodging period for the 2014 budget, it would be beneficial for the Panel to begin initial work on its review as soon as possible in order to manage its time more effectively. In this regard the Panel agreed that during its review it should remain mindful of its timetable and officer resources. Whilst considering the Scoping Document, the Panel agreed that it would be beneficial to engage an advisor, or advisors, to assist with its review. It was further agreed that, once the Scoping Document had been approved and sent to the Chairmen's Committee for its review, the Officer would begin the process of engaging an advisor. The Panel was advised that within its review there was currently provision to consider the proposals of Senator P.F.C. Ozouf , Minister for Treasury and Resources, in respect of the financing of major capital projects. The Panel recalled that the Health, Social Security and Housing (HSSH) Panel had agreed to undertake a review of the new hospital proposals and, along with the Corporate Services Panel, was due to receive a briefing on these proposals on 30th July 2013. With this in mind, the Panel agreed that consideration of the funding arrangements for the new hospital should remain focused and should only be referenced in regards to budgetary matters. It was further agreed that Scrutiny Officers from both Panels should maintain good communication with one another in order to be able to update Members effectively. The Panel considered its draft Terms of Reference. It was agreed that within the Terms of Reference there should be consideration of emerging issues from, and potential implications of, the 2014 budget proposals for the year 2015. It was also agreed that provision would be made for consideration of the economic impact of the Minister's proposals. Subsequently the Officer was requested to re-draft the Terms of Reference, reflecting these change, and to circulate them to the Panel once enacted for formal approval. | WM WM |
10/07/13 Item 9 513/36 | 4. Population and Migration The Panel recalled its previous agreement to request an update regarding the Executive's timetable ahead of its private meeting with Senator I.J. Gorst , Chief Minister, on 25th July 2013. In this regard, the Officer circulated an updated timetable for the Panel's consideration. It was noted that the timetable would be discussed in greater detail at its meeting with the Executive and that at this time the Panel would receive further information regarding the Chief Minister's intentions. It was further noted that the Panel would not undertake a review at the same time as the Executive's public consultation on the Long Term Plan. The Panel discussed the possibility of using a similar approach for a review of the Long Term Plan as it had for the Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) review, in which each individual Panel was involved in scrutiny of the Plan. However, it was agreed that the Panel would defer any such decision until it had received further information from the Executive regarding the work being undertaken. The Panel noted receipt of an update on follow-up work to Population and Migration – Part 1 (SR1/2012). It was recalled that the Panel had made four recommendations, three of which had been accepted by the |
|
| Chief Minister. The Panel noted that the first recommendation made during this review, in regards to the structure of the Population Office and its enforcement function, had been followed-up by the Population and Migration Sub-Panel during Population and Migration Part 2 (SR2/2013). The Panel further noted that its recommendation, that the Chief Minister should ensure that a comparison is undertaken between the annual updates and the numbers of locally qualified licenses that are allocated and that these findings should be published in a report and presented to the States on an annual basis, had not been sufficiently followed-up. The Officer was therefore asked to request an update from the Department. The Panel recalled that it had previously recommended that, three months before the debate on Population Policy, the Chief Minister should request the Chief Statistician to provide his view on when the Register would be statistically viable as a rolling measure of the Island's population. The Panel agreed that this recommendation was still applicable as a Population Policy debate had not yet taken place. The Officer was further requested to follow-up this matter with the Executive. The Panel recalled its previous request for the Officer to ascertain whether any issues, other than those relating to the £50 charge for Registered Employees were raised by States Members during the debate on P.52/2013. The Panel was advised that no other issues were raised. | SM SM |
10/07/13 Item 5 513/35 | 5. Medium Term Financial Plan The Panel received an update on the status of the follow-up work to Review of the Medium Term Financial Plan (SR18/2012). After much consideration the Panel agreed that it would follow-up on the majority of its recommendations during its end-of-term review of the MTFP, which the Panel had agreed to undertake during a previous meeting although it was also noted that it was possible that there would be provision within its review of the 2014 Budget to follow-up on smoe recommendations. It was noted, however, that in regards to the Panel's recommendation that the Minister for Treasury and Resources should examine and report to the States Assembly by July 2013 on the implications of extending the period of future MTFP's to five years in duration, it would be beneficial to undertake follow-up work as soon as possible. It was therefore agreed to request an update. The Panel was advised that if Draft Public Finances (Amendment No.4) (Jersey) Law 201- (P.73/2013) was adopted, it would see the repeal of Article 7(5) of the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2005 and as a result it would no longer be possible for the States to amend the period to which the MTFP relates. Consequently, the MTFP would mirror the electoral cycle exactly and would therefore not last five years unless the electoral cycle were changed to do so. The Panel recalled that the first Quarterly Corporate Report for 2013 had now been received from the Department of Treasury and Resources. The Panel discussed the issue of the time delay between the end of period date and the publication of financial reports for that period. The Panel noted that it could potentially raise this matter at the next Quarterly Public Hearing with the Minister for Treasury and Resources. | WM |
| The Panel agreed that it would be beneficial to send a copy of the update of follow-up work, under confidentiality, to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) for its consideration as many of the matters discussed also fell under the remit of the Committee. | WM |
10/07/13 Item 7 513/38 | 6. Deposit Loan Scheme The Panel was advised that an update had been received from the Chief Minister's Department which indicated that the Scheme would potentially be implemented before the end of the week. It was noted that a copy of a guide on the scheme would be sent to the Panel in due course. The Panel noted that States of Jersey Law 2005: Delegation of Functions – Treasury and Resources – Signing of contracts for the Starter Homes Deposit Loan Scheme (R.91/2013) had been presented to the States on 23rd July 2013 by the Minister for Treasury and Resources and that a page for the Scheme had been placed on www.gov.je. The Panel recalled that at its recent Quarterly Hearing with the Minister for Treasury and Resources it been advised that the Department itself had no intention to publicise the Scheme. The Panel agreed to consider how best to follow up matters such as this once it had received the requested information from the Department. |
|
10/07/13 Item 4 513/1(41) | 6. Modernisation Programme The Panel received an update in respect of Phase 1 of the Modernisation Programme and noted in particular the governance structure which had been established and the funding which had recently been agreed in respect of Phase 1. It was agreed that some work in respect of the Modernisation Programme would be beneficial and consideration was given to a draft Scoping Document and draft Terms of Reference for a short review involving a public hearing with Senator A.J.H. Maclean, the Minister who had been given political responsibility for the Programme. The Panel considered whether this would provide sufficient scope for the review and discussed whether the review could focus on elements of Phase 1, such as Human Resources or Information Services, or whether indeed a review of the Modernisation Programme could incorporate elements of the work on the States Employment Board (SEB) which the Panel had previously agreed it would undertake. It was ultimately agreed that the Chairman would meet the Scrutiny Officers in the first instance in order to progress matters. | SF / WM / SM |
10/07/13 Item 6 513/1(41) | 7. Work Programme The Panel noted the status of the 2013-2014 Work Programme. The Panel further noted that currently no provision has been made for the Modernisation Programme within its Work programme. As a result of earlier discussions, the Panel agreed that such a review should take priority over a review of the States Employment Board. The Panel noted that questions in regards to the States Employment Board could potentially be addressed at its next Quarterly Hearing with the Chief Minister. |
|
15/07/13 Item 1 | 8. Quarterly Public Hearing with the Minister for Treasury and Resources |
|
513/1(40) | The Panel agreed to defer consideration of matters arising from the recent Quarterly Public Hearing with the Minister for Treasury and Resources until its next Panel meeting on 4th September 2013. |
|
| 9. Media Dealings The Panel noted the provisions of the Code of Practice for Scrutiny Panels and the Public Accounts Committee in respect of media dealings and re-confirmed its position. |
|
| 10. Future Meetings The Panel noted that its next scheduled meeting was due to take place at 9:30am on 4th September 2013. |
|