Chairmen's Committee - Approved Panel Minutes - 19 April 2016

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 (Items 1 to 4)

Deputy A.D. Lewis , Chairman, Public Accounts Committee (Items 1 to 4) Deputy R. Renouf , Chairman, Health and Social Security Scrutiny Panel Deputy S.M. Brée, Chairman, Economic Affairs Scrutiny Panel

Deputy D. Johnson , Chairman, Environment, Housing and Technical Services Scrutiny Panel

Apologies

Absent

In attendance

Mrs C. George, St Helena Government (Items 1 to 4 in part) Mr S. Fair, CIPFA (Item 4)

Mr T. Oldham , Scrutiny Manager

Mrs J. Hales , Scrutiny Officer (Item 4)

Mr S. Spottiswoode, Scrutiny Officer (Item 4)

Ref Back

Agenda matter

Action

1.  Records of meetings

The Committee approved the records of its meetings held on 1st, 3rd, 14th, 18th, 21st and 24th March, and 4th and 12th April 2016, which were signed accordingly by the President.  

01.03.16 Item 2

2.  Activity Reports

The Committee noted Panel and Public Accounts Committee (PAC) activity reports.

01.03.16 Item 3

3.  Privileges and Procedures Committee: update

The Committee considered a briefing paper on the deliberations of the Privileges and Procedures Committee.  

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4. Medium Term Financial Plan Addition

The technical adviser to the Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel for its work on the MTFP 2016-19 and MTFP Addition Reviews, Mr S. Fair from  the  Chartered  Institute  of  Public  Finance  and  Accountancy (CIPFA), was welcomed to the meeting. The Committee discussed with  Mr  Fair  the  previously  circulated  cross-Panel  framework  for scrutiny of the Addition.

It was agreed that each Panel would be responsible for undertaking its own Review on those areas falling within its remit, looking at the full expenditure allocation for Departments and associated consequences on services. This would be separate to the overarching Review being undertaken by the Corporate Services Panel. Panels would undertake their Reviews as they saw appropriate with regard to public hearings,

private  briefings  and  other  evidence  gathering  options,  and  would present  Comments  and  possible  Amendments  to  the  States Assembly.

To  help  achieve  continuity  and  efficiency,  it  was  agreed  that  the Committee would meet more regularly to share progress on scrutiny of the MTFP Addition. Furthermore, should the need for technical advice be identified, Panels would engage the services of CIPFA. Panels would individually arrange with CIPFA the extent of advice required, for example whether or not they required an adviser's report, advice at Scoping Document stage or help with question areas for hearings. CIPFA  would  liaise  directly  with  each  individual  Panel  via  their Scrutiny Officer in the usual advisory way.

It was further agreed that Panels would establish their own Terms of Reference, Scoping Document and Budget. However, to assist Panels and  to  help  establish  a  minimum  scope  of  work  that  would  be undertaken  by  each  Panel,  a  template  Scoping  Document  and template  Terms  of  Reference  would  be  drafted  and  circulated  to Panels by the Scrutiny Office. Each Panel would then tailor these documents accordingly.

It  was  noted  that  Panels  might  benefit from  beginning  to request information from respective Departments about the MTFP Addition at the earliest opportunity.

01.03.16 Item 6

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5. Residential Property Transactions Review Panel

Deputy  D.   Johnson ,  Chairman  of  the  Review  Panel,  updated  the Committee about the progress of the Review. It was noted that the Connétable of St Martin had joined the Panel. The Review had been publicised and received notable media attention. Evidence gathering was underway, and although only two written submissions had been received at this stage, this number was expected to rise over coming days.

6. PPC Standing Orders Sub-Committee

A request for feedback on proposals made by the Standing Orders Sub-Committee was considered. The Committee discussed proposals that related to Scrutiny, and requested its feedback be collated in writing by the Scrutiny Manager and forwarded in the first instance to the President, before final approval by the Committee.

7. Future Meetings

It was agreed that the Committee would meet, subject to completion of States business, on 27th April, in Le Capelain Room, States Building to complete outstanding agenda items.