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Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel
Record of Meeting
Date: 24th November 2014
Present | Deputy J.A.N. Le Fondré, Chairman Deputy S.M. Bree, Vice-Chairman Connétable C.H. Taylor |
Apologies |
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Absent |
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In attendance | Mrs J. Hales , Scrutiny Officer Mr T. Oldham , Scrutiny Officer |
Ref Back | Agenda matter | Action |
| 1. Welcome The Chairman welcomed all present to the Panel's first meeting. |
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| 2. Vice-Chairman The Panel appointed Deputy S.M. Bree as its Vice-Chairman in accordance with Standing Order 135(5). |
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| 3. Future Meetings The Panel considered its next meeting date and a meeting schedule for 2015, agreeing the proposal that it would meet approximately fortnightly at 9:30am on Monday mornings. The Panel considered the 2015 schedule, requesting minor amendments as agreed regarding school half term holidays. It agreed that the revised schedule should be included for approval at its next meeting. The Panel noted arrangements for site visits to the Department of Treasury and Resources and Chief Minister's Department on 1st and 5th December 2014 respectively. The Panel agreed that it would meet for a full Agenda meeting at 2pm on 5th December, following its site visit to the Chief Minister's Department, and requested that electronic meeting invitations be issued accordingly. | JH/ TO JH/ TO |
513/1/1(2) | 4. Panel Working Practices A briefing paper on proposed working practices, including the process established by the Code of Practice for Scrutiny Panels and the Public Accounts Committee for liaison with Departments, was considered by the Panel. The Panel agreed that Panel Members should check their e-mails regularly for Panel correspondence. Consideration was subsequently given to how each Panel Member would receive meeting agendas and it was confirmed that each Member would receive an electronic and a hard copy. The Panel also discussed the shared document facility that would be | JH/ TO |
| available to Scrutiny Panel Members for electronic access to Panel documentation including Meeting papers, Quarterly Hearings and Reviews. The Panel noted that Members should contact the Information Services Department in the first instance to have the necessary software installed on their device and for any further technical advice. The Scrutiny Office would provide further administrative support on accessing the facility as documentation began to be uploaded. A number of existing Scrutiny Protocols were noted by the Panel, these being:
It was agreed by the Panel that where a topic area had been discussed and agreed by the Panel, responsibility for approval of related correspondence would lie with the Chairman. The correspondence would be presented to the Panel at its subsequent meeting for noting. The Chairman agreed that for the purpose of administrative efficiency in such circumstances, his electronic signature could be used subject to his approval in each instance. Furthermore, any electronic document published by the Scrutiny Office would have his electronic signature removed. | JH/ TO |
513/1/1(3) | 5. Quarterly Hearings The Panel agreed that it should hold quarterly meetings with the Chief Minister, Minister for Treasury and Resources and Minister for External Relations. It was agreed that it would be beneficial if these meetings could be held within the Ministers' respective Departments. The Panel agreed that the first Hearings should take place in February 2015. | JH/ TO |
513/1/1(4) | 6. Conflicts of Interest The Panel noted that no Panel Members had an immediate conflict of interest to declare in relation to the Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel's remit. It was agreed that at the start of each review, consideration would be given to whether any Member had a conflict in the relevant area. |
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510/1(3) | 7. Scrutiny Training The Panel noted that Scrutiny Training would be provided on 2nd and 3rd December 2014. The Panel was advised that this training, which would focus on the role of Scrutiny and the Review process, was part of an overall programme that would subsequently include training on chairing and questioning skills. In addition, the Panel agreed that arrangements should be pursued for a training visit to the House of Commons and an additional suitable Authority such as the London Assembly. It noted that such visits were in keeping with the training undertaken by previous Scrutiny Panels, from whom there had been positive feedback about the value of such training, and the plans of the other current Scrutiny Panels. In agreeing to this training, the Panel was very mindful of ensuring value for money | JH/ TO |
| from its visit and that the proposed programme should reflect this accordingly. |
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513/1/1(1) | 8. Work Programme The Panel noted the legacy report of the previous Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel. Consideration was given to the work that had been undertaken between 2011 and 2014 by that Panel and to that Panel's suggestions of subsequent work. The Panel further considered a briefing paper in relation to work programme development. It noted the wide-range of Ministerial responsibilities covered by the topics within its remit and the framework and process for the development of Scrutiny Panel work programmes established by the Code of Practice for Scrutiny Panels and the Public Accounts Committee. It also considered the remit for the scrutiny of Financial Services related matters, proposed to be undertaken by the Economic Affairs Scrutiny Panel. It discussed the possible consequences to this of both the proposed Ministerial remit changes and the development of a Monetary Authority, and agreed that further consideration may be needed to be given to the appropriate structure for related scrutiny by the Chairmen's Committee. Additionally, the Panel noted the following documents:
In anticipation of further discussions to develop its 2015 work programme, and to compliment the forthcoming site visits, the Panel agreed to request at the earliest appropriate opportunity the following to be forwarded by the relevant Department:
In addition to the above, the Panel considered the immediate scoping of Reviews in two areas, the Medium Term Financial Plan and States of Jersey Development Company: Jersey International Finance Centre. | JLF JH/ TO |
| 9. States of Jersey Development Company (SoJDC) |
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513/46 | The Panel noted that its predecessors had undertaken work of various nature relating to the States of Jersey Development Company. Due to significant public interest and recent high profile coverage of matters relating to plans to shortly begin development of the Jersey International Finance Centre', the Panel agreed to write to the Minister for Treasury and Resources to request clarification regarding pre-let policy with regard to this development. Consideration was given to whether any further work would be required and it was agreed that initial scoping of a related Review should begin, a process that would be further informed by the response of the Minister for Treasury and Resources. The Panel agreed that it was likely to require expert advice should it progress a Review, and identified a potential source for that advice that would be followed up by the Officer as part of the process of identification of potential suitable advisers. | JH/TO |
513/45 | 10. Medium Term Financial Plan The Panel noted that a Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) for 2016- 2019 would be developed by the Executive during late 2014 and the first part of 2015 alongside the new Strategic Plan and that it represented a key topic that the Panel would need to review. The Panel noted a draft timescale for the development and implementation of the MTFP from the Executive, and subsequently agreed that it would begin scoping of phase 1 of a planned two to three phase MTFP Review. Phase 1 would focus on relevant follow up to key findings and recommendations of S.R.12/2014 Draft Budget 2015, including the actions of the Minister for Treasury and Resources in implementing accepted Recommendations. Noting the advice from Officers regarding the potentially limited requirement in this phase of the Review for expert advice, the Panel agreed that this was likely to be required in certain areas. The Chairman identified a potential source for that advice that would ensure continuity from the work undertaken on S.R.12/2014 Draft Budget 2015, and the Panel agreed that this should be followed up by the Officer as part of the process of identification of potential suitable advisers. | JH/TO |
| 11. States Questions Without Notice It was noted that the Chief Minister and Minster for Treasury and Resources were scheduled to answer Questions Without Notice at the meeting of the States on 25th November 2014. The Panel requested that the full schedule for 2015 should be circulated for information. | JH/TO |