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Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel
Record of Meeting
Date: 25th June 2014 Meeting No: 177
Present | Senator S.C. Ferguson, Chairman Deputy J.G. Reed, Vice-Chairman Connétable D.W. Mezbourian [Absent for Items 1 and 2] |
Apologies | Deputy R.J. Rondel |
Absent |
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In attendance | Mr. W. Millow , Scrutiny Officer Miss. S. McKee , Scrutiny Officer |
Ref Back | Agenda matter | Action |
| 1. Records of Meetings The records of the meetings held on 30th May and 3rd, 9th 11th, 13th and 16th June 2014, as well as the private records of the meetings held on 13th and 16th June 2014 were approved. |
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11/06/14 Item 2 513/36 | 2. Population and Migration The Panel noted that the Chief Statistician had been contacted by the Scrutiny Office in respect of when Jersey's Labour Market 2013 Report and Jersey's Resident Population 2013 Report would be published. The Panel further noted that a request had been made to the Chief Minister's Department for information on the granting and removal of licenses and on the post-implementation review of the Control of Housing and Work (Jersey) Law 2012. |
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17/06/14 Item 1 513/44 | 3. Draft 2015 Budget The Panel recalled that it had approved the Scoping Document and Terms of Reference for its review of the Draft 2015 Budget and noted that the documentation had been distributed to the Chairmen's Committee for ratification. The Panel was advised that the Terms of Reference would be distributed to the Minister for Treasury and Resources in accordance with standard procedure. The Panel recalled its agreement that it would be beneficial to engage the same advisors who had assisted with the review of the Draft 2014 Budget. The Panel was advised that the representative of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) would be available from 22nd July 2014 (although he would be in a position to receive and consider written material ahead of that time) and would therefore be in a position to assist the Panel. It was therefore noted that contractual arrangements would be put in place with CIPFA. The Panel subsequently considered the potential engagement of MJO Consulting. The Panel was advised that the contract for expert advisors stipulated that they should act independently and impartially. Consideration was given to the Panel's previous engagements of MJO Consulting in that regard. It was ultimately agreed that, given MJO Consulting's previous experience of working with the Panel and the |
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| continuity this would provide for the review of the Draft 2015 Budget, and given the need to commence and undertake the review within a short timescale, the Panel would continue with the proposed engagement of MJO Consulting. The Scrutiny Officer was therefore requested to make the necessary arrangements. It was agreed, however, that a recommendation would be made to the Panel's successors that for reviews of future budgets, attempts should be made to identify a greater number of prospective advisors whom the successor Panel could choose to appoint. It was also noted that, in line with standard practice, the Scrutiny Office would monitor the engagement to ensure that it was delivered appropriately. The Panel recalled the briefing it had received on 13th June 2014 from the Minister for Treasury and Resources on the draft Budget proposals. It was noted that documentation which the Minister had undertaken to share with the Panel had not yet been received. The Scrutiny Officer was requested to follow up the matter. Consideration was given to what further information in respect of the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) the Panel would need. It was agreed to request a detailed report on the savings which had reportedly been achieved. It was also subsequently agreed to request example scenarios of the impact that the proposed Budget measures would have on individual households. The Panel noted that its work on the Draft 2015 Budget would include consideration of the 2015 Capital Programme and the capital allocations it would include. The Panel noted that arrangements had been made for public hearings to be held with the Minister for Treasury and Resources and that, ahead of those hearings, a second briefing would be received during the States Assembly's lunchtime adjournment on 10th July 2014. The Panel agreed that it would invite representatives of the Chamber of Commerce and the Institute of Directors to public hearings (to be held once the Draft 2015 Budget had been lodged), with such hearings to be held on 23rd July 2014, if possible. | WM WM WM WM WM WM |
11/06/14 Item 7 513/1(40) | 4. Fiscal Policy Panel The Panel noted that it would meet the Fiscal Policy Panel (FPP) at 12:30pm on 26th June 2014. Consideration was given to the areas which the Panel would seek to discuss with the FPP and a list of areas was identified. The Scrutiny Officers were requested to circulate the list of areas ahead of the meeting, alongside a list of the members of the FPP. | WM |
11/06/14 Item 5 513/42 | 5. Public Sector Pensions The Panel was advised that contractual arrangements for the appointment of BWCI Consulting Limited were in hand. The Panel was further advised that representatives from BWCI Consulting Limited would meet the Treasurer of the States on 1st July 2014 and that copies of the Draft Public Employees (Pensions) Regulations would be provided for the advisor's attention, in order that work might begin. The Panel noted that the Draft Regulations were due to be lodged in mid-July 2014 before the beginning of the summer recess of the States Assembly, for subsequent debate in September 2014. The Panel was advised that, following the Panel's request, the Scrutiny Office had contacted the Public Employees Contributory Retirement Scheme (PECRS) Committee of Management and the Joint Negotiating Group |
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| (JNG) to ask when those bodies would have commented on the Draft Regulations and when their representatives could therefore appear at public hearings. The Panel was informed that consultation by the Department of Treasury and Resources with the Committee of Management and the JNG had already begun and that it currently appeared likely those bodies would have been consulted sufficiently in time for the Draft Regulations to be lodged in mid-July 2014. It was noted that representatives of those bodies would therefore be able to attend public hearings on the Draft Regulations once they had been lodged. The Panel was advised that an update to the Ministerial Response had been received from the States Employment Board. |
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11/06/14 Item 12 513/1(40) | 6. Quarterly Public Hearing with the Chief Minister The Panel considered a draft question plan for its Quarterly Public Hearing with the Chief Minister on 26th June 2014. Amendments to the question plan were agreed, which the Scrutiny Officers were requested to enact. The Panel requested that a copy of the Chief Minister's Department's Business Plan for 2014 be circulated ahead of the hearing. The Scrutiny Officers were also requested to identify whether any topics which had been considered at previous Quarterly Public Hearings could be covered on 26th June 2014. | WM WM |
| 7. Future Meetings The Panel noted that it would not be able to meet on 9th July 2014, as initially foreseen, as the States Assembly would sit on that day. It was therefore noted that other arrangements for the Panel to meet would therefore need to be made in due course. |
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11/06/14 Item 4 513/43 | 8. Draft Charities Law The Panel received an update on the status of the review. Consideration was given to the main body of the draft report. The Panel approved the main body subject to a number of minor amendments which the Officer was requested to enact. Subsequent to these amendments, the Officer was requested to circulate the relevant sections to contributors for comment on the factual information. Stakeholders were to be provided with five working days in which to return their comments and respond to the Panel accordingly in accordance with Paragraph 11.7 of Code of Practice for Scrutiny Panels and the Public Accounts Committee. Consideration was also given to the draft findings and recommendations of the Panel's report. The Officer was requested to circulate a revised list of key findings and recommendations based on the Panel's discussions. | SM SM SM |