Public Accounts Committee - Approved Committee Minutes - 7 March 2016

Present

Deputy A.D. Lewis , Chairman

Deputy S.M. Wickenden, Vice-Chairman Connétable C.H. Taylor (from Item 4) Deputy J.A. Martin

Deputy S.M. Wickenden

Mr. R.J. Parker

Apologies

Mr. G. Drinkwater, Mr M Robinson

Absent

In attendance

Mrs. K. McConnell, Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG)

Ms. C. Tomlinson, Scrutiny Officer to the Public Accounts Committee

RefBack

Agenda matter

Action

1.  Apologies

Apologies were received from Mr. G. Drinkwater and Mr. M. Robinson.  The  Chairman  agreed  to  query  availability  of  Mr. Drinkwater at future meetings.

AL

2.  Minutes

The Committee approved the minutes of the meetings held on 11th January, 1st and 8th February, and 29th February, 2016.

3.  Declarations of Interest

At the request of the Vice-Chairman, the Committee asked the Officer to investigate whether being a member of the Waste Charges Oversight Group would be a conflict of interest. Deputy J.A. Martin also asked for clarification in relation to potential future reviews into P.73/2010 and small grants.

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4.  PAC /Scrutiny training

The Committee agreed it would be willing to engage in training and  benchmarking  its  activities  against  other  comparable jurisdictions  such  as  Scotland  and  Northern  Ireland/Eire  and requested the Officer to make arrangements. It also agreed to meet with the National Audit Office Director of Parliamentary Relations  on  1st  July  in  Jersey  to  discuss  topics  of  mutual interest.

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5.  Scrutiny Protocol

The Committee noted the protocol and background document relating to the wording of the protocol and agreed that it would wish to feed back to the Chairmen's Committee the following comments: Under the heading "Scrutiny Reviews – process and access to information", there should be reference made to the quality, accuracy and relevance of information requested. It also agreed to recommend the utilisation of Jurats as citizens capable

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of undertaking roles similar to that which would be expected of Standards' Commissioners.

512/28

6.  Financial Management

The Committee agreed follow up letters should be sent to the witnesses heard at the Public Hearings, requesting information they had agreed to present. Having noted the Treasury's project plan to implement the recommendations made by the C&AG, it also  agreed  the  Department  should  be  asked  to  provide evidence of its implementation.  

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512/1/1(6)

7.  Procurement

The  Committee  noted a  further  response from  the Treasury, dated 29th February 2016, attaching the Procurement Strategy. It noted the contents and that the C&AG would follow up the response.  

C&AG

8.  Future potential review topics

The Committee noted three potential review topics, namely P.73 Property and infrastructure regeneration, Financial Direction 5.7 Travel and Accommodation expenditure of States Officers, and R.73  Financial  Report  2014  (Small  Grants  under  £100k).  It agreed to postpone any review into the latter as the C&AG would be  reporting  on  large  and  small  grants  later  in  the  year.  It requested  the  Officer  to  prepare  more  detailed  scoping documents on the first two items and agreed to send comments via email.

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AE Article 37 512/1/1(6)

9.  C&AG – Financial Management (II) Follow up report

The C&AG presented a brief confidential update on her plans to follow up the R.38/2015 report.

QE Article 37 512/1/1(6)

10. C&AG – Jersey Audit Office Audit Plan

The C&AG presented a brief confidential update on the progress made. She advised that her report on Freedom of Information was due to be published shortly, then she would be turning her attention to other matters such as eGov.

QE Article 37 512/1/1(6)

11. C&AG – Arms' Length Organisations.

The  C&AG  presented a  brief  confidential  update  and  project specification on ALOs.