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Corporate Services - Approved Panel Minutes - January 2013

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Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel

Record of Meeting

Date:   23rd January 2013 Meeting No:  66

 

Present

Deputy J.G. Reed, Vice-Chairman Connétable D.J. Murphy

Deputy S. Power

Deputy R.J. Rondel

Apologies

Senator S.C. Ferguson, Chairman

Absent

 

In attendance

Mr. W. Millow , Scrutiny Officer

 

Ref Back

Agenda matter

Action

 

1. Records of Meetings

The Panel approved the record of its meeting held on 9th January 2013. The record was signed accordingly.

 

09/01/13 Item 5

513/1(41)

2. Modernisation Programme

The Panel noted that the Chairman had not yet been able to circulate information in respect of Lean Academies.

SF

09/01/13 Item 10

513/1(41)

3. Work Programme

The  Panel  recalled  undertakings  made  by  Senator  P.F.C.   Ozouf , Minister for Treasury and Resources, that quarterly budget reports provided to the Council of Ministers could be shared with Scrutiny Panels  and  the  Panel's  own  agreement  that  the  reports  could potentially be used when preparing for Quarterly Public Hearings. The Scrutiny Officer was requested to correspond with the Department of Treasury and Resources about the matter and it was agreed that the matter would be discussed with the Minister on 31st January 2013.

The Panel noted the status of its Work Programme for 2013.

WM

09/01/13 Item 13

1240/25(7)

4. Annual Report

The Panel noted that the report in respect of its activity in 2012 had been forwarded to the Chairmen's Committee for eventual inclusion in the 2012 Annual Report of the States Assembly.

 

09/01/13 Item 8

513/36

5. Population and Migration

The Panel received an oral update from the Chairman of the Migration and Population Sub-Panel. The Panel was advised that the Sub- Panel had finished gathering evidence, notwithstanding two meetings with interested parties which were due to take place, and that drafting of the report had begun. It was noted that the Sub-Panel had started the process of identifying Key Findings and Recommendations and consideration was given by the Panel to the issues which had arisen during the Sub-Panel's review.

The Panel was advised that the Sub-Panel currently intended for the

 

 

report to be presented on 28th February or 1st March 2013 ahead of the States debates on Draft Control of Housing and Work (Residential and Employment Status) (Jersey) Regulations 201- (P.2/2013) and Draft Control of Housing and Work (Transitional and Consequential Provisions) (Jersey) Regulations 201- (P.3/2012), both of which were due to take place on 5th March 2013. Consideration was given to whether this timetable would leave sufficient opportunity for the report to be considered before the debate and for any amendments that might  potentially  be  identified  to  be  lodged.   It  was  noted  that presentation at the end of February 2013 would not leave sufficient time for amendments but that there would nevertheless be options available to the Council of Ministers and the States Assembly by which they could ensure that the recommendations from the Sub-Panel's report were addressed.

 

16/01/13 Item 1

513/37(2)

6. Deposit Loan Scheme

The Panel recalled its agreement of a Scoping Document and Terms of Reference for a review of  Starter Home Deposit Loan Scheme (P.131/2012) and noted that the documentation had been forwarded for  the  attention  of  the  Chairmen's  Committee.   The  Panel  was advised  that  the  Minister  for  Treasury  and  Resources  would  be informed of the Terms of Reference and that a request had been made to defer the debate on P.131/2012 to 16th April 2013. The Panel was further advised that a media release announcing the review would be despatched in due course.

The Panel agreed that information should be sought on the options considered by the Executive in developing the proposals and on the consideration that had been given to the proposals by the Council of Ministers. In terms of stakeholders and interested parties, the Panel identified parties from which it would seek submissions and requested the  Scrutiny  Officer  to  consider  which  other  parties  could  be approached.

Consideration was given to the appointment of an expert advisor for the  review. The  Panel  was  advised  of  work  undertaken  by  the Scrutiny Office in identifying potential advisors and it was noted that there had been difficulties in doing so given that those with expertise in Jersey were likely to be seen to have a vested interest whilst potential advisors  from  outside  the  Island  might  not  have  the  requisite knowledge of the local housing market. Taking these factors into consideration,  the  Panel  identified  a  number  of  people  which  the Scrutiny Officer was requested to contact to ascertain whether they could assist the Panel.

The Panel noted that hearings had been arranged for 13th February 2013 and that the Minister for Treasury and Resources and Deputy A.K.F. Green MBE, Minister for Housing, were currently due to appear.

WM WM

WM

09/01/13 Item 9

513/37(3)

7. External Relations

The  Panel  recalled  its  agreement  to  undertake  a  review  of  draft Regulations which, if approved, would establish the position of Minister for  External  Relations.   The  Panel  was  advised  that  the  Scrutiny Officers had met the Director and Deputy Director of International Affairs and had informed them of the Panel's desire to review the draft Regulations once they had been lodged. It was noted that the Chief Minister would be prepared to lodge the draft Regulations for eventual

 

 

debate in May or June 2013, thereby allowing the Panel sufficient time to  undertake  its  review. The  Panel  was  advised  that  it  had subsequently been suggested that the draft Regulations be presented to the States as a Report in the first instance. This would allow the Panel to scrutinise them in the public domain but allow the Chief Minister to amend the draft Regulations, if amendments arose from the Panel's report, before they were ultimately lodged for debate. The Panel agreed it would accept the draft Regulations being presented in this manner. It was further agreed that the Panel would be able to complete its review for the draft Regulations to be debated in June 2013. It was noted that the matter would be discussed with the Chief Minister.

Consideration was given to a draft Scoping Document and it was approved for distribution to the Chairmen's Committee, subject to the insertion of one additional key issue. Consideration was given to the appointment of an expert advisor and the Panel was advised that, at this stage, it did not appear that an advisor was required. The Panel subsequently considered draft Terms of Reference and identified a number of matters it wished to consider and which would require the Terms  of  Reference  to  be  amended. The  Scrutiny  Officer  was requested to make the necessary amendments and to circulate the revised draft Terms of Reference for approval by e-mail.

WM

WM

09/01/13 Item 3

513/35

8. Medium Term Financial Plan

The Panel was advised that the meeting of the Medium Term Financial Plan  (MTFP)  Sub-Panel  had  been  postponed. It  was  noted  that follow-up to the recommendations made in  Review of the Medium Term Financial Plan (SR18/2012) would be required and it was agreed that the Panel would consider the matter in the first instance. It was further noted that the topic would be discussed with the Minister for Treasury and Resources on 31st January 2013.

 

513/1(40)

9. Meeting with the Chief Minister

The Panel prepared for its subsequent meeting with the Chief Minister. It was noted that the Chief Minister's Department had been provided with a list of topics which the Panel wished to discuss.

Once all other items on the Panel's agenda had been considered, the Panel adjourned and subsequently reconvened for a meeting with the Chief Minister in order to discuss priorities for 2013 and the 2013 Work Programme. The meeting took place at Cyril Le Marquand House and was held in private session under Paragraph 3.2.1(a)(xiv) of the Code of Practice on Public Access to Official Information. The apologies of Deputy R.J. Rondel for the meeting with the Chief Minister were noted.

 

25/01/12 Item 10

513/1(40)

10. Meeting with the Minister for Treasury and Resources

The Panel noted that it would meet the Minister for Treasury and Resources  at  10:00am  on  31st  January  2013  in  order  to  discuss priorities for 2013 and the 2013 Work Programme. A list of topics for discussion was considered and agreed with one addition .

WM

09/01/13 Item 11

513/1(40)

11. States of Jersey Development Company

The Panel noted that a briefing from the States of Jersey Development Company had been arranged for 3:30pm on 27th February 2013.

 

 

12. Future Meetings

The Panel noted that its next scheduled meeting would take place on 6th February 2013.