Chairman's Committee - Approved Committee Minutes - 24 January 2017

Present

Deputy  J.A.N.  Le  Fondré,  President  and  Chairman,  Corporate  Services Scrutiny Panel

Deputy S.M. Brée, Chairman, Economic Affairs Scrutiny Panel

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

Deputy A.D. Lewis , Chairman, Public Accounts Committee (except Item 1) Deputy R. Renouf , Chairman, Health and Social Security Scrutiny Panel Deputy T.A. Vallois, Vice-Chairman, Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel (except Item 1)

Apologies

Deputy L.M.C. Doublet , Vice-President and Chairman, Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel

Absent

In attendance

Mr T. Oldham , Scrutiny Manager

Mr W. Millow , Assistant Greffier of the States

Ref Back

Agenda matter

Action

1. Records of meetings

The Committee approved the records of its meetings held on 6th and 9th December 2016, which were signed by the President.

09.12.16 Item 2

2.  Activity Reports

The Committee noted Panel and PAC activity reports.

3.  Jersey Innovation Fund

The Committee discussed the potential impact on relevant Panels of the resignation of Senator P.F.C Ozouf from his assistant ministerial responsibilities. It was agreed that clarification would be sought of the Chief Minister by the President as to which Member(s) the Senator's former portfolio would be allocated, to ensure that Panels' could make appropriate  arrangements  for  subsequent  scrutiny  of  those  topic areas.

Consideration  was  also  given  to  possible  scrutiny  of  the  issues surrounding the Jersey Innovation Fund. It was noted that aside from follow up work by the PAC to the C&AG's recent report, no other work was envisaged as falling within the remits and responsibilities of other Panels. However, it was agreed that it would be informative to any final decision for the President to establish with the Chief Minister precisely what external reviews he was commissioning on the matter, and for the Committee to be provided with any associated terms of reference and costs.

JLF

JLF

09.12.16 Item 4

4.  Protocol for Engagement between Scrutiny Panels/PAC and the Executive

510/1(86)

The Committee recalled that the draft Protocol had previously been forwarded to the Council of Ministers by the President, and noted that a preliminary response had been received from the Chief Minister. The Committee was informed that the President and Scrutiny Manager had met for initial consideration of the response.

The President proposed the establishment of a working group to follow up this initial work, and to develop and present a proposed course of action to the full Committee in due course. It was agreed that the President would be joined by Deputy D. Johnson and Deputy R. Renouf on the working group, which would undertake the work as proposed.

JLF/DJ/ RR

09.12.16 Item 5

511/2/1

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 Panel would seek to meet shortly to progress its draft report.

DJ

510/1(92)

6. R5/2017 Engaging the  public with  Jersey's  democracy:  a three year plan'

The Committee received the Assistant Greffier of the States who outlined  the  scope  of  the  forthcoming  project  to  achieve  the webcasting of Scrutiny Panel's Public Hearings, as contained in the Privileges and Procedures Committee's recently published strategy R5/2017 Engaging the public with Jersey's democracy: a three year plan'.

The Committee was supportive of the project and, in anticipation of trialling the technology and contributing to the development of the format of televised hearings, welcomed the opportunity for further engagement as work progressed. It was noted that research would shortly commence to establish appropriate technical options, about which the Committee would be kept informed.

7. Future Meetings

The Committee noted that its next meeting was scheduled to take place on 28th February at 9.30am, Le Capelain Room, States Building.