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Public Accounts Committee - Approved Committee Minutes - 15 April 2013

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Public Accounts Committee

Record of Meeting

Date:   15th April 2013 Meeting No:  25

 

Present

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

Deputy G. Baudains

Mr I. Ridgway

Apologies

Mr J Mills

In attendance

Mr M. Robbins, Officer to Public Accounts Committee.

 

Ref Back

Agenda matter

Action

Item 1 18.03.13

1.  Records of Meetings

The records of the meetings held on 11th March 2013 were approved and signed.

 

 

2.  Comptroller and Auditor General

The Comptroller and Auditor General was absent from the meeting following consultation with the Chairman due to arrangements made prior to her appointment in Jersey.

 

 

3.  Conflicts of Interest

Deputy Rondel declared a conflict of interest in the area of grants as he was in receipt of a rural grant due to the nature of his business. It was agreed that were the rural grants to be discussed he would retire from any such proceedings.

Deputy  Baudains  and  Mr  Ridgeway  declared  a  possible  conflict  of interest if the Committee were to examine aspects of Jersey Telecom.

 

Item 12 18.03.13

4.  Canbedone Productions Limited Grant

The Committee discussed a further draft of the report. Amendments had  been  put  forward  by  a  Committee  member  and  these  were discussed and considered in turn. The Committee agreed that the focus of the report had to remain on the process, not the decision itself.

At the conclusion of dealing with amendments, the Committee agreed that the Chairman was to oversee the final changes as discussed with the officer after which the report would be ready for publication.

TV / MR

 

5.  Financial Report and Accounts 2012

The Committee recognised it had a commitment later in the year to

 

 

review the 2012 Financial Report and Accounts. There was particular concern expressed about the under-spends and contingencies which it was understood, amounted to £56 million. The Committee expected feedback from the Comptroller and Auditor General to assist with the review.

A  request  was  to  be  made  for  details  of  all  under-spends  and contingencies. However, it was agreed that this should only be done after consultation with the Comptroller and Auditor General.

MR

Item 14 18.03.13

6.  Grants and Subsidies

A briefing on 22nd February 2013 from Officers from the Economic Development Department was well received by the Committee and had proved useful in assisting understanding of a complicated process.

The Lead Member reported on a meeting with the Education, Sport and Culture officers. It was recognised that there were some concerns with grants becoming smaller over time but similar resources being required to administer them.  

The  Committee  agreed  that  the  lead  Member  was  to  progress  the review by meeting with the officer.

JM / MR

Item 5 04.02.13

7.  Committee Membership

The  Committee  was  advised  of  the  current  position  relating  to  the vacant independent position on the Committee. A Commissioner had been appointed by the Jersey Appointments Commission. A meeting was to take place between the Commissioner and the Chairman later that week. The interview panel was to comprise the Chairman, the Commissioner, Mr K. Soar and Mr J.Mills.

TV

Item 2 07.01.13

8.  Gigabyte Jersey

The  Committee  heard  that  a  viewpoint  existed  that  the  Gigabyte Jersey' process was going badly wrong and needed looking into as it had involved the investment of a large amount of public money. It was understood that the Minister for Treasury and Resources had required expertise to be put in place in the Treasury to manage the process but that this had not been done. It was agreed that there was a governance issue that the Committee could look at and background work was to be undertaken relating to the £41 million investment of public money.

MR

 

9.  Agenda Items

The Committee agreed to move the following agenda items to the next meeting:

  • Previous Recommendations (Action Updates)
  • Car Park Trading Fund.
  • Procurement
  • Grants and Subsidies

 

 

10. Future Meeting

The Committee agreed that the next scheduled meeting was to be at

12.30 pm on Monday 13th May 2013 in the Blampied Room of the States Buildings.

MR