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Corporate Services - Approved Panel Minutes - 11 June 2014

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Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel

Record of Meeting

Date:   11th June 2104 Meeting No:  172

 

Present

Senator S.C. Ferguson, Chairman Deputy J.G. Reed, Vice-Chairman Deputy R.J. Rondel

Apologies

Connétable D.W. Mezbourian

Absent

 

In attendance

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

 

Ref Back

Agenda matter

Action

 

1. Records of Meetings

The Panel approved the record of its meeting held on 28th May 2014.

 

28/05/14 Item 10

513/36

2. Population and Migration

The Panel recalled that it had previously requested an update on the status of the post-implementation review of the Control of Housing and Work (Jersey) Law 2012. The Panel noted that an update had not yet been  received  from  the  Department.  The  Panel  further  noted  that information in respect of the granting and removal of licenses had also not been received from the Department. The Officer was requested to follow-up this matter with the Department.

The Panel recalled that, due to problems experienced with the new manpower returns, the Chief Statistician had postponed the publication of  Jersey's  Labour  Market  2013  Report  and  Jersey's  Resident Population 2013 Report. The Panel agreed to request an update on this position from the Chief Statistician.

SM

SM

28/05/14 Item 3

513/1(41)

3. States of Jersey Development Company

The Panel noted that the Trowers and Hamlin report had not yet been received from the Department of Treasury and Resources. The Panel recalled the recent decision of the Royal Court not to strike out the claims  of  Harcourt  against  the  former  Waterfront  Enterprise  Board (WEB) and the Minister for Treasury and Resources. The Panel noted that it could seek clarity over the position of the Trowers and Hamlin report at its meeting with the Minister for Treasury and Resources on 13th June 2014.

It was further noted that the States of Jersey Development Company could be included in the Panel's legacy report, with particular reference to the Trowers and Hamlin report.

 

09/06/14 Item 1

513/43

4. Draft Charities Law

The  Panel  received  an  update  on  the  status  of  the  review. Consideration was given to the draft Heads of Report that had been circulated  to  the  Panel  prior  to  the  meeting.  Following  a  lengthy

 

 

discussion  the  Panel  approved  the  Heads  of  Report.  The  Officer advised the Panel that report-drafting would now commence.

It was noted that, given the tight timeframe the Panel had to undertake this review, it was likely that the report would not be presented too far in advance of the debate.

 

28/05/14 Item 7

513/42

5. Public Sector Pensions

The Panel recalled that the original intention of the Department of Treasury and Resources had been for the Regulations arising from the Public Employees (Pensions) (Jersey) Law to be debated before the summer recess in July. It was noted that, due to the lodging date having  been  missed,  the  debate  was  now  due  to  take  place  in September 2014.

The Panel noted that advice had been received from the Department which  indicated  that  the  Regulations  would  now  be  introduced  in different phases. It was further noted that, according to this advice, the first set of Regulations would be lodged before the summer recess. The Panel agreed that further clarity was required with regards to the order  in  which  the  Regulations  would  be  brought  forward  and  the potential  implications  of  the  phased  approach  for  the  proposed implementation date of 1st January 2015. The Panel was advised that the delay in the lodging of the Regulations would have implications for the Panel's review and the amount of work that might be required during August 2014. The Officer was asked to seek formal confirmation from  the  Department  as  to  the  revised  timetable.  The  Panel  also agreed to contact the Chairmen of the Committee of Management and Joint Negotiating Group to see whether they could provide any further clarity in regards to the new timetable.

The Panel was advised that BWCI Consulting Limited was happy to act as expert advisor for the Panel's review of the draft Regulations and had provided confirmation of its availability to undertake work in August 2014. The Panel was further advised, however, that BWCI Consulting Limited was currently unable to estimate for certain how much time would be required for Phase 2 and had asked whether a copy of the draft Regulations could be made available to assist with determining with the time required.

Consideration  was  given  to  a  revised  Scoping  Document  for  the Panel's review. The Panel agreed to increase the budget for its review from £44,100 to £65,700 in order to accommodate one more day of public hearings and to allow for further work to be undertaken by BWCI Consulting Limited. The Officer was requested to enact a number of minor amendments on the Scoping Document.

WM WM

WM

28/05/14 Item 8

513/44

6. Draft 2015 Budget

The Panel requested a copy of the Standard and Poor's report on Jersey's credit rating.

The Panel noted the dates for briefings and public hearings for its review. It was further noted that its first briefing on the Draft 2015 Budget would take place at 9:00am on 13th June 2014. The Panel was advised that a request had been made to the Department of Treasury and Resources for papers to be provided ahead of the briefing. The Panel identified Wednesday 23rd July 2014 as a date on which public

WM

 

hearings with stakeholders could potentially be held. It was noted that some work was likely to be required on the Draft Budget during August 2014.

The Panel noted that the Draft Budget was now due to be lodged on the 15th July 2014, rather than the 14th July 2014 as previously indicated.

Consideration was given to expert advisors. The Panel noted that in order for continuity it would be beneficial to engage the same advisors who had assisted the Panel in its review of the Draft 2014 Budget. The Officer was requested to check the availability of MJO Consulting and the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy.

Consideration was given to the draft Scoping Document. The Panel identified  a  number  of  minor  amendments  which  the  Officer  was requested  to  enact.  The  Panel  agreed,  however,  that  it  would  not approve the final Scoping Document until after the first briefing on the Draft Budget.

WM

WM

03/10/13 Item 2

513/1(40)

7.  Fiscal Policy Panel

The Panel noted that it had been invited to meet the Fiscal Policy Panel (FPP) on 26th June 2014. In order to help prepare for the meeting, the Officer  was  requested  to  circulate  the  records  from  its  previous meetings with the FPP that had taken place.

SM / WM

30/11/11 Item 9

8. Legacy Report

The Panel was advised that the Chairmen's Committee had agreed that Scrutiny  Panels  would  provide  legacy  reports  on  the  2011   2014 session by 22nd August 2014.

 

513/37(5)

9. Implementation of European Legislation

The Panel noted that a Ministerial Response had been received from the  Minister  for  External  Relations  to  Implementation  of  European Union Legislation (SR3/2014) but that it had not been presented to the States. The Panel was advised that clarification had been sought by the External Relations and Constitutional Affairs Section as to whether the Ministerial Response would need to be presented, given that the debate on the European Union Legislation (Implementation) (Jersey) Law had been completed. The Panel agreed the Ministerial Response should indeed be formally presented in line with standard procedure.

WM

13/02/14 Item 1

513/1(40)

10.  Quarterly  Public  Hearing  with  the  Minister  for  External Relations

The Panel noted that its next Quarterly Public Hearing with the Minister for External Relations would take place at 2:00pm on 16th June 2014.

The Panel considered the draft question plan for its public hearing with the Minister. The Panel identified a number of amendments which the Officer was requested enact. The Panel requested that a copy of Draft Taxation  (Implementation)  (International  Tax  Compliance)  (United Kingdom) (Jersey) Regulations 201- (P.67/2014) be circulated prior to the hearing.

WM WM

13/03/14 Item 1

513/1(40)

11.  Quarterly  Public  Hearing  with  Minister  for  Treasury  and Resources

The Panel noted that its next Quarterly Public Hearing with the Minister

 

 

for Treasury and Resources would take place at 11:00am on 20th June 2014.

 

07/05/14 Item 8

513/1(40)

12. Quarterly Public Hearing with the Chief Minister

The Panel noted that its next Quarterly Public Hearing with the Chief Minister would take place at 2:00pm on 26th June 2014.

 

 

13. Future Meetings

The Panel noted that its next scheduled meeting would take place at 9:30am on 25th June 2014.