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Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel
Record of Meeting
Date: 26th March 2014 Meeting No: 152
Present | Senator S.C. Ferguson, Chairman Deputy J.G. Reed, Vice-Chairman Connétable D.W. Mezbourian [Apologies for Item 11] |
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 4th, 6th, 7th, 11th, 12th, 13th and 17th March 2014, including the private record of the meeting held on 6th March 2014, were approved and signed accordingly. |
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12/03/14 Item 1 513/41 | 2. Interim Population Policy The Panel noted receipt of information from the Population Office in respect of licences for Registered individuals under the Control of Housing and Work (Jersey) Law 2012. Consideration was given to how the information could feasibly be used within the Panel's report. The Panel was informed that the Chairman had received anonymous correspondence in respect of the application of the Law. The Panel noted that anonymous submissions could not be considered as part of the review. Nevertheless, the Scrutiny Officer was requested to circulate a copy for all Panel Members. Consideration was given to the lines of enquiry which the Panel had pursued and the evidence which the Panel had received. Particular consideration was given to whether a population policy was currently in place. It was noted that work on the draft report had been undertaken and the Panel was informed that a copy would be circulated for Panel consideration on 28th March 2014. The Panel agreed to meet at 3:00pm on 31st March 2014 to consider the draft report. The Panel was advised that Connétable D.W. Mezbourian had identified a letter written by then Deputy Sir R.H.K. Marett to the Jersey Evening Post in October 1981 about the subject of immigration and which would be of potential interest to the Panel. The Scrutiny Officer was requested to circulate a copy of the letter to the Panel. The Panel noted an update to the project plan for the review and, in particular, that presentation of the report was anticipated for 23rd April 2014. It was further noted that, to meet that timetable, the draft report would need to be distributed to stakeholders for comment on the factual accuracy on 3rd April 2014. | SM SM SM |
17/03/14 Item 1 513/37(5) | 3. Implementation of European Legislation The Panel noted receipt of a draft report in respect of Draft European Union Legislation (Implementation) (Jersey) Law 201- (P.164/2013). It was agreed that Panel Members would read the report by lunchtime on 28th March 2014 and provide comments to the Scrutiny Office in order that drafting could be further progressed and to ensure that work on the report dovetailed with the Panel's work on the Interim Population Policy report. The Scrutiny Officer was requested to circulate an electronic copy of the draft report. | WM |
13/03/14 Item 2 513/1(40) | 4. States of Jersey Development Company The Panel, noting that the States Assembly had on 19th March 2014 rejected Esplanade Quarter Developments: Approval by the States (P.15/2014), agreed that there was no scope for a Scrutiny Review of the matter and that none would therefore be undertaken. The Panel recalled that it had received three topic proposals in respect of the proposed Esplanade Quarter development and noted that it would be necessary to inform the correspondents of the Panel's decision. The Panel considered the advice it would provide to the correspondents, noting that from the work it had undertaken there appeared to be sufficient checks and balances within the development, and requested that the correspondents be informed accordingly. The Panel noted that States of Jersey Development Company Limited: Re-appointment of Chairman and Non-Executive Directors (P.23/2014) would be debated by the Assembly on 1st April 2014. The Panel was advised by the Chairman that when the current Chairman of the States of Jersey Development Company (SoJDC) had been appointed, the Minister for Treasury and Resources had indicated that the appointment would be on an interim basis. Consideration was given to whether the Panel should follow up this matter or whether the Chairman should do so individually. Taking into account the fact that the Panel had undertaken no work on this matter, the Panel suggested that the Chairman contact the Minister about it separately. | WM |
12/02/14 Item 7 513/35 | 5. Draft 2015 Budget The Panel considered the current status of work in respect of the Housing Project and, in particular, whether the timetable for issuing of the bond had slipped. It was suggested that the Chairman table an oral question on this matter to the Minister for Treasury and Resources for the next sitting of the States Assembly. | SF |
513/1(41) | 6. Legislation Programme The Panel noted the advice which had been provided to States Members by the Chief Minister on the legislation which would be lodged for debate before the summer recess by the three Ministers within the Panel's remit. The Panel was informed that several items due to be lodged by the Chief Minister would fall within the remit of the Economic Affairs Scrutiny Panel as that Panel currently retained responsibility for scrutinizing matters in respect of financial services. |
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513/1(41) | 7. Charities Law The Panel noted from the legislation programme it had received that the draft Charities Law was due to be lodged for eventual debate in July |
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| 2014. The Panel further noted that the draft Law had recently been released for public consultation. It was agreed that this was a subject which might potentially warrant reviewing and which the Panel would therefore need to take it into account. It was agreed to advise the Assistant Chief Minister with responsibility in this area of that fact. | SM |
12/03/14 Item 8 513/1(40) | 8. Quarterly Public Hearing with the Chief Minister The Panel noted that the Chief Minister would appear at a Quarterly Public Hearing at 2:30pm on 27th March 2014. The Panel, considering the question plan, prepared for the hearing. The Scrutiny Officers were requested to circulate the records of the meetings during which the Panel had been briefed on proposed changes in respect of the States Employment Board and on the legislative process. The Panel also requested the circulation of the recent press release issued by the Chief Statistician in respect of the delays which had arisen in relation to manpower returns. Amendments to the question plan were agreed, which the Scrutiny Officers were requested to enact. | WM SM WM |
29/01/14 Item 13 513/1(41) | 9. Modernisation Programme The Panel recalled that a report from KPMG in relation to e-government had been expected by the Executive at the end of January 2014. It was agreed to request an update on the status of the report. | SM |
| 10. Future Meetings The Panel noted that its next scheduled meeting would take place on 9th April 2014. |
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12/03/14 Item 4 513/42 | 11. Public Sector Pensions Connétable D.W. Mezbourian , as a Member of the States Employment Board, declared an interest in this matter and withdrew from the meeting. The Panel was advised that correspondence had been received from the Chief Minister to confirm that the Chief Minister had no comments in relation to the Terms of Reference for the Panel's review of proposed reforms to the Public Employees Contributory Retirement Scheme (PECRS). The Panel received an update on the search for an expert advisor. It was noted that the anticipated cost of using an advisor was likely to be greater than had first been estimated. The Panel was informed that the Greffier of the States, in his capacity of Accounting Officer, had been advised of this fact and that he was satisfied with the process which had been followed in identifying potential advisors, notwithstanding the greater anticipated cost. It was noted that two expressions of interest had been received. Consideration was given to the expressions of interest and it was agreed that the Panel would appoint the BWCI Group as advisors for the review. The Panel agreed that the review of proposed reforms to PECRS would be split into two phases, with Phase 1 to last until the debate on Draft Public Employees Pensions (Jersey) Law 201- (P.28/2014) and with Phase 2 to incorporate scrutiny of the draft Regulations which would follow. Consideration was given to the timetable for the review and the | WM |
| fact that the draft Law was due to be debated on 29th April 2014. The Panel was advised that the search for, and appointment of, an expert advisor had taken longer than expected and that the Panel's review was therefore some two weeks behind schedule. It was agreed that the Panel would ask the Chief Minister whether the debate could be deferred by one siting to 13th May 2014. The Panel recalled its request for confirmation of whether Standing Order 72 would apply during the debate on P.28/2014, notwithstanding that the Panel would already have begun a review of the draft Law. The Panel was advised that, notwithstanding that it had started to review the draft Law, the Chairman would be asked whether she wished to have the draft Law referred to the Panel under Standing Order 72 if the principles of the draft Law were adopted. The Scrutiny Officer was requested to circulate a note on this matter. | WM |