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Chairmen's Committee
Record of Meeting
Date: 13th January 2015
Present | Deputy J.A.N. Le Fondré, President and Chairman, Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel Deputy L.M.C. Doublet , Vice-President and Chairman, Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel Connétable J.E. Le Maistre, Chairman, Economic Affairs Scrutiny Panel (except item 18|) Deputy A.D. Lewis , Chairman, Public Accounts Committee (except items 17 & 18) Deputy D. Johnson . Vice-Chairman, Environment, Housing and Technical Services Scrutiny Panel |
Apologies | Connétable A.S. Crowcroft , Chairman, Environment, Housing and Technical Services Scrutiny Panel, Deputy R.J. Renouf , Chairman, Health and Social Security Scrutiny Panel |
Absent |
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In attendance | Mrs. K. Tremellen-Frost, Scrutiny Manager |
Ref Back | Agenda matter | Action |
| 1. Records of meetings The records of the meetings held on 8th, 10th and 22nd December 2014 and 5th January 2015 were approved and accordingly signed. The Committee considered matters in relation to Minute No. 3 of the meeting held on 8th December 2014 [item 2 below refers] |
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08.12.14 Item 3 510/1(45) | 2. Meetings, briefings and hearings: private or public The Committee considered the record of the meeting of 8th December 2014 and for the sake of clarity agreed that it should be recorded that the Chairman, Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel was of the opinion that, in principle, meetings should be held in public. Notwithstanding the fact that the Chairman requested that her dissent against holding meeting in private was recorded, she also recognized the importance of the principle of standardization across the Scrutiny/PAC function. The strength of feeling by one Member of the Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel in respect of this matter was noted. |
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510/1(64) | 3. Blackberries/mobile devices The Committee welcomed the User Support Manager, Information Services Department to the meeting to consider the provision of mobile devices to Scrutiny/PAC Members. The Committee was apprised of the situation pertaining to Ministers, Assistant Ministers and senior officials and of the current situation in |
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| relation to contracts and procurement issues. It was noted that the means by which Ministers and/or Assistant Ministers were funded for such devices was a decision by individual Departments. It was recognized, however, that this may change in the future with procurement aiming to finalise a piece of work on the matter in the second quarter of 2015. It was noted that there was an intention to address any disparity between the provision of devices to Ministers and Assistant Ministers and other States Members. The Committee fully supported the principle of this. The User Support Manager agreed to provide the Committee with the monthly cost of Blackberry usage in the first instance. On a related matter, the Committee considered the provision and use of tablets and other devices and noted that improvements on the present system were currently being worked on. |
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510/1(71) | 4. Ministerial legislative and policy programme The Committee noted a recommendation of the previous Chairmen's Committee that a review of the above was required early during the start of the current term of office to avoid an excessive number of propositions being brought at the end of the term of office. The Committee noted the position during the Spring and Summer 2014 when a large number of propositions had been lodged which did not permit time for Scrutiny. It was also noted that the Chief Minister and the former President, Chairmen's Committee had agreed that a working party should be established to work towards avoiding such situations in the future. It was agreed that the President would request an update on the matter form the Chief Minister at the next meeting. |
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510/1(88) | 5. Review Panels The Committee recalled a recent situation whereby a Member of a Scrutiny Panel had wished to establish a Review Panel. The Committee considered Standing Orders 145A and 145B and noted that the establishment of such Panels could only be undertaken by the Chairmen's Committee itself. In the event that the Committee were to consider the establishment of a Review Panel, it was noted that, within P.133/2014, Officer resource would be provided from within the existing manpower resource availability. The Committee would, therefore, need to consider Panels' work programmes and priorities. If a Panel had reviews which were not time-critical it appeared more likely that officer support could be taken from that Panel as opposed to Panels which had time-critical reviews (ie: meeting deadlines for debates in the States Assembly). It was agreed that, if a Member wished the Committee to consider the establishment of a Review Panel, (s)he should write in the first instance to the Scrutiny Manager for it to be forwarded to the Chairmen's Committee for consideration. |
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510/1(5) | 6. Codes of Practice The Committee noted that revised Standing Orders made it incumbent on the Committee to prepare four revised Codes of Practice:-
The Committee focused on the first of the above and following consideration of the best approach agreed that Members would concentrate on the joint (interface) Scrutiny Code in the first instance. It was agreed that Members would read the existing Code and the draft joint Code which had been prepared by the previous Chairmen's Committee in preparation for consideration at the meeting on 10th February 2015. It was agreed that the Scrutiny Manager would prepare an overarching document outlining the main issues which had been changed with related rationale as appropriate and highlighting any areas which may be contentious. | SM |
513/1/1(5) | 7. Equal Marriage and Partnership: Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel The Committee considered the possibility of a requirement to undertake a review into the above topic, however, it was noted that the initial proposition was likely to relate to "in principle" only. It was noted that the Chief Minister had been tasked with progressing this initiative and it would, therefore, be referred to the Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel. The Committee may need to consider its approach at a future meeting. |
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515/1/1(1) | 8. Rural Economy Strategy: Economic Affairs Scrutiny Panel The Committee was advised by the Chairman, Economic Affairs Scrutiny Panel that that Panel anticipated leading on the Rural Economy Strategy when it became available but that the Environment, Housing and Technical Services Scrutiny Panel were welcome to have an input into the review. |
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516/42 | 9. Special Educational Needs: Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel The Committee received and noted a scoping document in terms of the above review. It was noted that Deputy J. Martin was to be co- opted onto the Panel for this review and that this would be recorded in the Panel minutes in accordance with standard procedures. |
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04.12.14 Item 1 513/46 | 10. Jersey International Finance Centre/ States of Jersey Development Company: Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel The Committee received and noted an oral update in respect of the current status of the review. |
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511/1(8) | 11. Council of Ministers: Part B agenda papers The Committee noted a request from Members of the Environment, Housing and Technical Services Scrutiny Panel that an alternative means of having access to the above papers be explored. The Panel had requested that the Committee explore whether it would be preferable for Executive Departments to forward Part B reports automatically to the relevant Panels. It was noted, however, that the procedure was set out within the Code of Practice for Scrutiny Panels and the Public Accounts Committee which was adopted by the States and consequently agreed that there was no intention to amend this at the current time. |
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512/1(1) | 12. Public Accounts Committee: membership The Committee noted that the PAC had conducted interviews for its independent Members and following one outstanding interview, would be making its decision shortly. The proposed Membership would then be included on a States Assembly Order paper. |
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512/1/1(1) | 13. Public Accounts Committee: mini-reviews The Committee was apprised by the Chairman, PAC that the Committee would be undertaking a series of "min-reviews" which would involve calling in every Accounting Officer. It was noted that these reviews did, to some extent, cross over into some Scrutiny areas. However, the Committee was assured that the PAC work would be purely financially-based. |
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465/4(14) | 14. Privileges and Procedures Committee: update The Committee received an update from the above Committee in respect of a review of States procedures and Members' facilities and access to information. Given that there was some uncertainty in respect of the review of States procedures, the representative of the Committee agreed to find out further information. | JLM |
1240/25(9) | 15. Annual Report 2014 It was noted that, given that the Scrutiny/PAC membership had been appointed towards the end of 2014, there should be a brief inclusion in the 2014 Annual Report from the President and each of the Panels and PAC. It was agreed that this could be finalised and agreed by electronic mail. |
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510/3(7) | 16. Public Engagement The Committee gave consideration as to whether further means of engaging with the public could be explored. Following consideration of some areas, the Committee agreed to receive a presentation from the Chairman, Public Accounts Committee on 10th February 2015 to which the Scrutiny and PAC Officers would be invited. The current procedures for drafting, approving and circulating press releases were noted. |
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510/1(3) | 17. Visits to Westminster Recalling that visits to Westminster and/or the London Assembly were being arranged for those appointed to Scrutiny Panels, it was noted that a request had been received from a non-Executive Member to be part of a similar visit. The Committee considered the situation pertaining to those non-Executive Members who, although not appointed to a Panel by the States, might either be co-opted to a Panel or agree to sit on a Sub-Panel or Review Panel. The Committee, noting that this specific Member was minded at some point to join a Panel, agreed that if the Member were to join a Panel in the short term the matter would be resolved. |
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510/1(3) | 18. Media training The Committee noted that the issue of media training for States Members was in hand and being managed by the central HR Learning and Development Team. |
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